Endless Dark
by Andromeda2050
Summary: This is a short, side story branching from Elegy of the Phoenix, looking deeper into Nyxia's past during the Starscourge. Hey, it's kind of like a DLC for the game because they don't explain the full plot in the main story, so they needed a separate episode to clarify things? Yeah, kind of like that! :D Enjoy! (Rated M for smut and some violence and language.)
1. Dark Eternal

Any child that was forced only to live in the security of her own home could never be a truly happy one. Nyxia Chantieri was supposed to have more for her life than this, though. In a world of darkness that had been permanently fixed for what had been nine years now, she had very little chance to see what was out there. As a young woman at the age of nineteen, she was forced to learn how to grow up more quickly than most.

Her father, King Cingarus of Curia, a city in the furthest western area of Cleigne, was a man who cared for his daughter, just like any other father - but she was destined to one day be a queen, and she would have to toughen up sooner or later, even in a night world full of daemons.

The Starscourge had fallen upon Eos when she was eleven. Queen Natalia had been away in Altissia at the time, trying to help regain what had been lost after the Goddess of the Seas had been summoned by Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.

Nyxia idolized the Oracle when she had been alive. Hell, she still thought the world of the woman, though she never met her, almost as much as Hecate herself. Yet, she listened to every broadcast on the radio where she addressed the public, inspiring hope. She knew of the possibility of the plague of daemons that would come, and if it were to come, she only wanted the people of Eos to stay strong. The Gods would one day shine light on them.

Nowadays, however, Nyxia was beginning to think it was a lost cause. The prophesied King of Kings, Noctis Lucis Caelem, hadn't been seen for years. So much time had passed, and though there were daemon hunters out there that tried to keep the monsters at bay, it was only a temporary solution to an indefinite problem.

One day, Nyxia came to her own conclusion that she would have to grow up, though not in the way her father intended. She might be Princess of Curia, but if there was anything that needed to be done, it was to find an end to this darkness.

Cingarus was in the dining room on the lowest floor of the palace. He seemed to be in a deep discussion with one of the maids as his daughter entered the room. Something about Highwind, which Nyxia was fairly certain might have been a reference to Aranea Highwind - one of Nyxia's trainers in combat.

Apparently, she was here in Curia tonight, but only on patrol. She was a tough cookie, and over time, had become an individual for Nyxia to look up to. She wouldn't have minded teaming up with her on the dark streets, but Cingarus would have likely insisted that she wasn't ready to take on the monsters yet.

"Nyxia, my dear," he said to her, smiling. However, the expression wasn't as honest as some might have hoped. While he was always happy to see his daughter, ever since Natalia had been making frequent trips to other cities in need, he was tormented by a certain loneliness. It was easily noticeable in the way he behaved - some days, he was a little more or less transparent. "What is the matter?"

"Father, I've been doing a lot of research on the different prophecies involving the Starscourge." Instantly, he looked a little hesitant. "I read about the Necromancer's Gem... Is it still lost?"

"Indeed," he said, using a wave of his hand to dismiss the maid. Once she left the room, he continued. "You have no need to worry yourself about it. Its location has been unknown for eons."

"But what if finding it can somehow stop the plague?"

Cingarus shook his head. "The Gem will not help us now." He seemed evasive about the topic, and it bothered her immensely.

"Then, what will?" she demanded at his back. Almost too calmly, her father turned back to look at her. Though he held a look of defeat, his voice was quite calm.

"Patience," he answered, "and hope."

She watched him leave the dining room, out of words to throw back at him. Why was he so dismissive about the subject? Was he afraid? She was, too, but they would only continue to live in fear if someone didn't at least try to do something more. Determined to find out more, she headed to the study on the first floor. The shelves here held many texts on magic, prophecies, and rare artifacts. There really wasn't much of anything to go off of, as to what this Necromancer's Gem even looked like. It was rumored to have never been found, though was potentially known for being capable of causing such chaos that was the eternal darkness, if in the wrong hands.

So, did it need to be destroyed?

Hours of flipping through pages told her very little. The Gem had no record of a last, known location. It didn't even have information on how it came to be.

 _Perhaps,_ she thought, _I might have an idea of where it would be._ Costlemark Tower was known for being a mysterious building, though not many knew it to be accessible only at night. Ever since the plague fell upon Eos, those that did know assumed that its doors would always be opened. However, that was not the case. As if the tower had a mind of its own, it strengthened its defenses by allowing the seal to only be broken during the full moon, when its rays directly shone upon the entrance.

In two days, that opportunity would come. In two days, she would have her chance to explore, to see if maybe the Gem was hiding in a structure with such reinforcements.

She only hoped that it would at least get her headed in the right direction.


	2. Death Wish

The night of the full moon was here, and though Nyxia found herself lacking in sleep, she was wired and ready to go. She had timed her departure just right, though made sure that she kept her intentions secret from her father. It was probably best that he didn't know what she was up to. He would have spent the entire time either persuading her not to go or simply fearing that she might not make it back home alive. He was too busy a man to distract with more worries.

However, as one fairly confident in her skills as a fighter and a sorceress, she felt she had a pretty good chance.

Once at The Fallgrove, all Nyxia could really do was wait. At her disposal, she had an array of staves she had learned to wield, just as King Cingarus once did. She had never been here before, though had heard gossip about it through others in the palace. She approached the entrance, which was a stone doorway that would refuse to budge, no matter how she pushed it.

"Well, it was worth a shot." She sat down on the callous floor, the chill of the night air cool against her pale skin. Daemons could come out at any time, but right now, all was quiet. Maybe Nyxia was just lucky. Maybe they were inside, waiting for that door to open, like hungry, imprisoned beasts.

She couldn't deny that she was a little nervous, but this was about the fate of the world - a world that her influential family was a big part of. She had a responsibility, even if this might not have been the typical way to uphold it.

 _Am I doing the right thing?_

She looked over to the pool of moonlight on her left. It was slowly reaching in her direction, but it would still be a little while longer before it would find the doorway. She conjured a book - with the flick of her wrist and a flash of blue, it appeared in her hand. It was simply something to help pass the time: _Tome of Healing._ She only got about two, lengthy pages into it before a loud noise sounded behind her. She was almost too intrigued by the book to stop where she was at so suddenly, but she knew that this meant that the passage was now open. Rising to her feet, she dismissed the book into thin air and then cautiously stepped inside. A stairway took her further down as she left the moonlight behind her. A silver staff appeared in her hands, taller than her own body, though carved into an ornate shape at the head. She had to be ready for anything.

The stairway twisted right, and the narrow walls around her made her feel both cramped and so minuscule at the same time. Again, they turned right, and further down she went. One more turn, and she was headed into a broader, round room. Nothing caught her eye so far, save for the tall ceilings and old architecture. However, as she came into a significantly larger room, she realized just how old and dilapidated this place was. There was rubble ans fallen columns to be found here, though not much else struck her interest.

But considering how extensive the tower was told to be, she knew she still had a long way to go.

Carefully, Nyxia crossed a fallen pillar that served as a bridge to the other side of the giant chamber. It was the only way to get across the gap left behind by the collapsed floor.

Soon, a long, narrow chamber took her further on. There seemed to be branching hallways on her right, but fallen debris blocked both paths. The only way to go was forward. Perhaps if she reached a dead end, she could always backtrack and use magic to remove the stone piles. For now, however, she needed to save her strength. Daemons could still be lurking in here.

In the next room, a wide, downward slope slumped in a spiral, and she treaded carefully. The staff did well to provide her the light that she needed, but even still, it was hard to see any more than a few yards ahead of her. Glancing behind her was even more unsettling. It was like a black chasm was following her.

She forced herself to keep looking forward, no matter her anxiety. Somehow, she felt like she was being followed by _something._ The tower continued to lead her deeper into the earth. She came across what had to be the largest room in the entire place. In the center of what appeared to be a humongous, black room, a paved pathway took across, a guard rail on both sides that, if they weren't there, would have made her paranoid of falling into an abyss.

The ground seemed to hook slightly right for a good while, and just when she was beginning to think it looped forever like this, she saw the rails straighten on either side of her. Thank goodness. Some progress.

Then, from behind her came a menacing series of snarls. She shouldn't have been too surprised that daemons had followed her this far, but as she turned around, she saw three Ereshkigals stalking her. One of them launched its small, though agile body at her, sharp teeth bared through another growl.

Nyxia was quick to respond by rolling out of dodge, the knees of her red, skinny jeans scraping across the hard concrete. She managed to ignore the pain for now, more focused on the stealthy devils that were pursuing her.

They moved fast, and the fact that she was outnumbered did not help her situation any. She broke into a run, knowing they would likely catch her in no time. She had never seen anyone or anything move this fast!

She just needed enough time to get a little distance between them and her. She then swung the staff behind her, creating a giant wall of fire that would allow her more time to get away. Hopefully, she could at the very least get a headstart.

Another ramp descended in a downward spiral, though about halfway down, she could hear two of the three daemons chasing her again. One must have been lost in the fire still. She threw a wave of fire from the head of her staff, immediately followed by a second one in hopes to catch them off guard. One jumped over it, and though the second one did get hit, it followed its comrade, though now a little slower.

The first one jumped, leaping at her only to slam itself into the top of Nyxia's staff. She launched the Ereshkigal overhead and behind her, sending it slamming into the stone wall. As the second one limped toward her, Nyxia ruthlessly shot another wave of fire at it, sending it backwards and leaving ash in its wake. Then, behind her came an angry snarl. The third one she thought she had left in the dust had managed to be reunited with the others, though belated, considering she had wiped them out.

Its speed was wickedly fast, throwing her off guard as its claws swiped at her left leg. Nyxia growled at the pain as she staggered back a bit, then drove the bottom end of her weapon into the ground. The head of it changed from a flourishing, carved wood to a sharp shard of metal - a readied spear to drive right into this beast's black, little heart.

"Come on, you little punk." Nyxia sneered, crouching lower to the ground as she prepared herself for its next jump. It made a strange noise, skipping from left to right as if it was taunting her. Then, it threw itself at her again. At the same time of dodging its claws, she would swing the blade at it, but it still managed to duck under it. Next swing caused the Ereshkigal to jump back and out of reach.

This one was really starting to get on her nerves.

She threw the spear this time, and once again, the daemon was too quick. She watched as it jumped, using the blade as a platform to ascend higher into the air and over her head.

Behind her back, Nyxia drew out two daggers. With the last of her confidence, she threw them both, one after the other. The first one missed, but to her great relief, the second one landed square into his chest. As it did, the blade would catch fire. The last daemon shattered into ashen remains in the air, where it would float into the darkness.

Huffing for a moment, Nyxia retrieved her staff from the ground. She could feel the sting in her leg as she put weight onto it. With a few potions on hand, she was glad she had been ready for this. She poured some of it onto the wound, soon leaving nothing but blood and rips on her pant leg. She continued down the path, and it would soon take her into another, vast room that opened up. Even the flooring gave her more space to move around, and the blue lights embedded into the ground gave more than enough illumination for her to see the room around her.

She stepped off of the stairs and into the large area, observing the surroundings closely. There were stone columns that seemed to be randomly placed in the corners of the room. With them were stone squares that appeared oddly curious. Just to confirm her suspicions, she stepped onto one of them, and as she did, it did something to activate it, causing it to lower into the ground. For a moment, Nyxia had panicked, but she kept her eyes open for any traps. As the floor beneath her finally stopped moving (it must had descended at least another, few floors), she saw a gap in the floor ahead of her. There was nothing else, as though it was the only way forward.

She peered down first, and after she saw that she could spot the ground of the room below her, she supposed this was the only way to go.

She braced herself as she would leap down, rolling into her landing so as not to break her ankles. The room around her was significantly darker, and at that, unnecessarily massive. Nyxia rose to her feet, using her staff as a light source again to see what was around her. She wasn't sure where to start at first, until she saw a small chasm in the wall behind her to that was just enough for her to crawl through. She knelt to the ground to see if she might get an idea of what was beyond it. Her head went in first, then, suddenly, she felt something slip around her ankle.

She was abruptly yanked away from the crawlspace, the back of her body grinding against the stone floor. The creature that snatched her was snakelike by nature, but all in all, completely unnatural. Catching a brief glimpse of the smaller swarm of snakes branching from a central point somewhere in the air, she was pretty sure she had an idea of what she was up against.

And she had no chance of taking on a Nagarini, especially considering the fact that she would likely have to pay more attention to not looking at its face than fighting it.

A giant, scaly tail coiled in a circle around her, and Nyxia realized she might have gotten more than she bargained for. She still tried to keep her head high (and eyes relatively low), twirling her spear in a circle in hopes of keeping the huge serpent at bay.

Behind her, she heard the snakes hissing loudly, and as the large head came towards her, Nyxia tried to fend it off with more fire. However, there was no way she was going to take this thing down by herself.

"Looks like someone bit off more than she could chew." A voice called from the far corner of the room. The figure it belonged to moved across the room incredibly quickly, and a giant spear soared and flew into the back of the naga. Nyxia almost couldn't believe her luck as the woman landed on the ground in front of her, her movement fluent and confident.

"Aranea? What are you-"

"I'd ask you the same thing, Nyxia, but not right now!"

How her mentor had managed to find her down here, Nyxia couldn't be sure, but the bounty hunter was right. This was not a good time to make inquiries.

It took some teamwork to bust the Nagarini, but after excessive use of their spears, and a few, cool tricks up Aranea's sleeve, they managed just fine. Unlike the more skilled hunter, Nyxia practically found herself out of breath at the end of the fight. Aranea merely grinned, brushing her platinum bangs from her eyes.

"You got a deathwish or what?" she teased, pulling out her blade from the serpentine corpse.

"I... thought I had things under control," Nyxia murmured. At this, Aranea's expression seemed a bit more serious.

"Your confidence is inspiring, sweetcakes," she replied, "but that was pure crazy. You wouldn't have stood a chance against that thing if I hadn't followed you."

"You...followed me?" Nyxia repeated.

"The moment your dad realized you left, he called for me. He did what he had to. You're daddy's little girl."

Of course. Though she understood, Nyxia wasn't feeling too pleased. While she was thankful that she was thankful that her tutor had saved her life, it did do something to bruise her ego.

"I'm nineteen. I should be able to make my own decisions without a bodyguard."

"Look, kid. I'm just following king's orders. I respect royalty, whether it's Lucian, Curian, or whatever. I'm not going to step on your dad's toes just because you're too damn proud."

Nyxia took a moment to think about Aranea's words before she would nod. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just..." she drifted off, knowing there was no good excuse for acting so incompetent.

"Hey, I get it. You want to help save the world. Don't we all? You just have to take it a little slower." Aranea gave her a small nudge on the arm. "Tell you what. We'll do some training tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Nyxia allowed her to escort her out of Costlemark Tower and back home. Aranea was a difficult person to read when she first met her, but ever since the plague of daemons kicked into full throttle, it became clear that her alliance was with the good people of Eos. She hunted demons on a regular basis, and though she usually worked alone, she was acquainted with many others that did the same thing.

One day, Nyxia hoped, she would be doing the same thing.


	3. Stranger Danger

On the trip back to the Curian border, the pair took an old, Niflheim airship that Aranea had kept in her possession even after dropping her alliance with the imperials. It provided them a not-so-nice view of the remains of Lucis's capital, and also provided Nyxia with equally unpleasant feelings.

She had a close, older cousin that had fought with the Kingsglaive. When the imperial army attacked Lucis with their demon hordes, a group of mages also helped to fight back. Anastella Astrophia was among them, though did not live to survive the battle before the Niffs retreated. Even still, she had been living proof of the strength of their bloodline, capable of conjuring powerful spells that some mages could only dream of.

Nyxia was very young when she learned of her cousin's death, but the grief was heavy for a long time. Just when it seemed to fade, the darkness came. Happiness wasn't a thing she was overly familiar with, except when she would play chase in the gardens with Stella.

"Don't worry. They'll get what's coming to them sooner or later." Aranea's voice stirred behind her as they looked through the window of the ship. Nyxia would have honestly said that her foolish actions tonight weren't vengeful, but now, the reminder of her cousin's sacrifice only made this personal defeat that much sour.

"Hopefully sooner than later," Nyxia muttered.

When they returned to the palace, the princess certainly got an earful from her father. She felt like a child being scolded for being out past curfew. She tried to be as civil as possible, knowing Cingarus was only trying to protect her.

The next day was just like any other, just about. Instead of waking up to sunshine, Nyxia usually had one of her guardswomen turn on the lights in the room to get her up. Thage, a broad-shouldered woman with short, blonde hair, was also one of those who helped her train, even more often than Aranea did. After all, it was Thage's job to ensure she was safe while she was on the royal grounds.

She wasn't breathing down her neck when she would eat meals with her father or play the cello in her bedroom, but she was always close by if something went wrong.

Thankfully, daemons couldn't get into Curia. There was a special energy that fueled the nation - one that disguised the lights throughout as sunlight. It was because of this resource that Curia was one of several safe havens within Eos.

After breakfast and a quick shower, Nyxia was escorted out to the gardens. Thage started her off with some warm ups, some of which were aerobics and others which tested her senses and reflexes. After about fifteen minutes of that, it seemed that Aranea was still a no-show.

"Perhaps she's just running a little late," Thage said.

A white, metal staff materialized in Nyxia's hands, and she spun it a couple of times, much like a baton. "That's alright. We don't have to stop there."

Granted, Thage tended to be a little easy on the princess when it came to training her. Aranea didn't hold back, which was what Nyxia liked, and even more so needed.

"Are you sure, my lady?" Thage asked hesitantly.

"Come on," Nyxia smiled. "I took on a trio of daemons. You gotta give me more credit than that."

The guardswoman pulled out a broadsword from the hilt on her hip. The rare steel that it was made of glistened in the powered lights that illuminated the garden.

"You certainly have grown, my lady." Three seconds ticked by, and then, she made the first swing. The blade came down toward the left side of Nyxia's head. She quickly leaned back to avoid it, and as she did, she swung her staff back. They went back and forth, taking turns at attacking and defending. This went on for another ten minutes or so, almost like a dance.

Then, suddenly, the tip of the cold metal scraped across Nyxia's left cheek, leaving behind a two-inch gash. There was only a very brief pause, and then the princess struck back, slamming her metal stick into the back of Thage's knee, sending her to land hard on the ground.

The both of them were gasping for air, and finally, Thage gave her a defeated smile. "I'm sorry I underestimated you, my lady." She staggered briefly as she got to repeat. "I should get you something for that cut. We can take a break."

"I'll stay here and get some fresh air." Nyxia grinned as she perched herself on the nearest, stone bench. At first, she thought for sure she had seen the other woman briefly limp as she walked away and out of sight.

She had to admit, it hurt like hell. The cut felt like fire and ice at the same time. Such was the result of Curian steel. It would take weeks for the scar to fade, and a potion would need to be taken in small doses every day to fight off the metal's chemical poisoning.

"There's an easier way to take care of that nasty cut, you know," came a man's voice from her left - one that was unfamiliar to her. She abruptly turned her head to see who it was. He appeared to be a middle-aged man dressed in fancy, black and gray garb, violet hair somewhat messily displayed about his head.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Nyxia asked, and though he approached her, she remained sitting on the bench.

"Ah, my apologies," the stranger said with a low bow. "Call me Ardyn. I was here to locate someone, but it appears I've arrived at an inconvenient time." Somehow, his charming demeanor still made her cautious. "And you must be Lady Nyxia."

Um...yes, I am..." She didn't know who this man was, which perhaps explained why she was hesitant to answer him, even if it came as little surprise that he already knew who she was. Most people did.

"You need a raw, Zu egg and medalla leaves if you want instant gratification for that." He certainly didn't seem like a doctor, which was why she was surprised that he would know such a thing. Still, she was impressed, though she knew that such ingredients were hard to come by.

"That's alright," she said with a small smile. "I think the scar would add character."

"Indeed." He chuckled lowly, and though it was odd to admit, it was an enjoyable, almost soothing sound. "So, I hear you went on a hunt at Costlemark Tower. Did you find what you were looking for?"

At this, Nyxia was slightly taken aback by the question. "No, I didn't." More important question was... "How did you know?"

"It is my job to know a lot of things - especially when it involves the well-being of the Chantieris."

Again, the princess's suspicions rose. "And what is my family to you?"

"Why, the means to an end of the Starscourge, of course." Nyxia wondered briefly if he somehow knew what it was she was looking for. Still, she remained motionless as Ardyn removed the red, pattern scarf underneath his collar. "Here, allow me..." He licked the edge of the fabric before he would run the moistened section over the cut on her face. Nyxia withheld a wince. "You know, I didn't find what I came here for either, but I have to say, I am deeply honored to have met Your Highness. Perhaps we'll bump into each other again."

He took his leave just as suddenly as he had appeared. It left her confused. He was oddly polite and smooth, that something just didn't sit right with her. It could have been just speculation, but even as Thage returned with the potion, Nyxia never mentioned the strange visit.

Aranea never showed, which was almost more curious to the sorceress. Training was wrapped up for the day, and so Nyxia returned inside to do some secret studying in the palace's personal library. She picked back up the book that she had been reading the night before, educating herself further own the art of medicine.

To her surprise, as she skimmed through some of the pages, she found a recipe for a cream that was used for wounds inflicted specifically by Curian steel. That stranger wasn't kidding after all.

But how on earth was she supposed to get either of those things, especially when the world outside of Curia was constantly swarmed with daemons?

After lunch time, a few hunters were brought into the infirmary for her to heal. Such was achieved through making potions, not by spells. Though magic could be used to heal simple inflictions such as these, she preferred to keep her energy stored. Still, her elixirs were powerful, and of course, free of charge. After all, these were desperate times.

Though it was always dark, everyone knew when it was true nighttime. Following supper, the princess would disappear into her bedchambers. Those who passed by would hear the melody of her cello. It was her pride and joy - a greater hobby than obtaining knowledge. It was also a great way to wind down for bed, like playing herself a lullaby.


	4. The City of Light

The following day progressed much like the previous day had, minus the peculiar visit from a suave stranger. Nyxia spent a lot of time in the infirmary today, considering the higher number of injured that she had to attend to. She had even missed lunch, not that she really had any complaints about it. She oftentimes did did put the needs of others before her own.

Periodically throughout the day, she did apply a little bit of the healing elixir on to the wound on her face. Definitely a battle scar to brag about for a couple of weeks.

That evening, during dinner with Cingarus, the air was abnormally quiet. They sat across from each other at the long table. It was usually just the two of them, but there was something on the princess's mind, and that was what made it so awkward.

"What is the matter, Nyxia?" he asked her.

"I want to continue finding the gem," she said to him. For a moment, the room was silent, and Nyxia could only glance over her half-finished pot roast. Finally, the king sighed.

"I see the princess gets her stubbornness from her mother," he said, but she could hear the defeat his voice. He looked at her from the far end of the table, giving her a slightly sad smile. "I will speak with Alcaeus in the morning and see what more we can learn."

"Thank you," she said with a smile, though it only seemed partial still. Her father did not fail to notice it.

"What else is on your mind?"

"Just wondering where Aranea has been these past couple of days. She hasn't been here to train me for a little while."

"Well, my daughter, she does no doubt have other errands to run. As we have seen from the hospital wing today, the number of daemons has no doubt been increasing."

"I suppose you're right," Nyxia murmured.

After finishing dinner, she returned to her bedroom as per usual. She took a nighttime shower, feeling a bit gross from the day's labor. She was in no hurry to get out either, enjoying the feeling of the hot water. As she climbed out of the shower, she dried off before she would pull on her favorite, long robe. She took a look in the bathroom mirror at the wound on her cheek and made one more application of healing ointment to it. However, as she eventually came back out into the bedroom sheer, black attire, she felt a cool draft. She gasped a bit, hurrying to the window to close the drapes. She thought for sure it was closed just a little bit ago. Hopefully, no one saw her in this sultry material.

However, right as she was getting ready to close the curtains, she spotted what appeared to be a package wrapped in fabric sitting on the windowsill. She picked it up and closed the drapes, then gave the parcel a closer inspection. It was wrapped in a detailed, crimson silk.

The same material as was Ardyn's scarf, if she recalled correctly. Curiously, she unfolded the scarf, and inside was a plastic jar of a clear, waxy substance.

Was this the concoction he had made mention of? She was a little wary about using it, but ultimately decided that there couldn't be a whole lot of harm into trying it. She twisted the cap off, catching the familiar scent of the minty, medalla leaves. It was actually a rather pleasant, sweet smell, much of a contrast to the scent that coated the scarf. It was certainly a masculine, distinctive fragrance with notes of vanilla, amberwood, and coconut. As one who worked with a lot of potions, such scents usually were easy to identify.

This combination just happened to smell really nice.

Nonetheless, she said the scarf is side and carefully applied the cream on to her face. From what she had read in _Tome of Healing,_ it was just as efficient as a lotion. However, she was light with the usage, not wanting to waste it.

Afterwards, she climbed into bed and under the covers, quick to doze off into a comfortable slumber.

The next morning, she was relatively surprised to see that the imperfection on her cheek was nothing more than a small scratch. She was pleased with the result, and so what she changed her clothes for breakfast, she rubbed a little more on.

Maybe, by the end of the day, it would be nothing more than a faded scar. Even Thage had noticed the speedy recovery, though Nyxia wrapped it up to it being something she had made herself.

Today, she would make her weekly drive to Lestallum. The infirmary's supply closet needed to be kept full, and so Nyxia usually was the one to do it. She liked getting out, and visiting Lestallum was always more of a pleasure than it was a chore, even if it was a dark drive.

She made the trip during the day. The black Stella GT was fully gassed up and ready to go. Nyxia sometimes got grouchy about the fact that she couldn't ride it with the top down. It was always a little too cool, even during summer days like these. Still, it was nice to get away for a little while.

Lestallum was like a searchlight out in the Cleigne region. It simply couldn't be missed, and it was another haven for those that were trying to stay away from the daemons. While Lestallum wasn't powered by the same light as Curia was, the monsters still seemed to prefer keeping their distance. Therefore, making her rounds for medicinal necessities was a lot easier.

Once in the market, she tried to keep from being distracted. There were so many smells in the air, many of which made her hungry. She hadn't eaten lunch yet, after all. She caught the strong smells of cooked meats, fresh seafood, sweet corn, vanilla, coconuts...

"My, is it nice to see a familiar face."

She tensed a little, unsure even why she had reacted that way when she heard the familiar, silky voice. Her body had jumped, causing her to bump into a crate of eggplants. Two fell to the ground, and it was a relief the shop owner was too busy with another customer to even notice. However, Ardyn was witness enough to embarrass her. Blushing, Nyxia had been about to bend down to grab them, but he was already two steps ahead of her. She felt...incredibly uneasy as he came back up, significantly closer to her than before as he placed the fruits back onto the kiosk.

"Look what you made me do," she murmured, trying to resort to her humor to make this less weird. "You startled me."

"So sorry. At least it looks like you didn't bruise them."

He certainly was a charmer. He could be comical, too. Nyxia caught herself smiling, though she couldn't quite stop once she did.

"I see you got my package," he said, and before she could fully realize what was happening, his hand with a fingerless glove reached for her cheek, fingertips brushing gently over the scar. By now, it was hardly even noticeable. By tomorrow, it would likely be gone.

"Oh... uh..." Nyxia cleared her throat. "Thank you. It really did work like a miracle. I would have never known."

"Glad I could be of service, my lady."

"Apparently, it makes a nice lotion, from what I've read."

"Does it?" Ardyn said with a smile. "Now, that I didn't know." His hand lingered, and Nyxia forced herself to back away, fumbling with her paper bags of groceries, using them as a distraction.

"I should get back to Curia," she murmured. "It's getting dark. I mean... well, I've probably been away for long enough."

"Of course. I understand. In that case, I'll let you do what you must."

Nyxia was pretty sure it couldn't have been more obvious that she was nervous. It wasn't very often that she stumbled across mysterious, handsome strangers, let alone ones that behaved like this one. He wasn't quite like anyone she had met.


	5. Dead of Night

A one-way trip between Lestallum and Curia was two hours. So, by the time she had finally returned home, pretty much the entire day was gone. She had just enough time to stock the medicine pantries and eat her dinner. Cingarus had a meeting to attend to, leaving Nyxia to eat by herself for a change.

This was actually quite nice, considering she was welled up with all sorts of conflicting emotions.

For the next week or so, things have been relatively quiet. There was nothing out of the ordinary, and to her slight disappointment, there was no confrontation with her strange, new friend.

Well, there was that one time she was standing on a balcony when she thought for sure she had spotted him out on the street. He sported a charcoal-gray fedora, and because of it, she had almost missed him completely. He just seemed to be acting as pedestrian, but a small part of her had hoped he would notice her.

Turned out he was just a fleeting individual in her life. She even stored away the ointment, as her face was fully healed and without scarring. She hadn't really needed it these past, few days.

Two days passed, and Nyxia had partaken in a particularly long, training session with Aranea. It was strenuous, but somehow kept the princess at full throttle until the very end of the day. After she had her shower, she spent some time on her cello until her eyelids just couldn't stay open anymore. Finally, she crawled into the bed and began a hard, deep slumber.

So deep, she didn't even dream... which was why the loud noises from outside had startled her so much. She jumped up from the bed with a start, noticing almost right away how dark it suddenly was. This wasn't an eternal-night sort of dark, this was a-power-outage-in-an-eternal-night sort of dark!

She heard demonic screams coming from the hallway outside of her room, and they seem to be rapidly approaching. Conjuring a staff, Nyxia readied herself, trying to shake off her sleepiness as best as she could. She almost felt as if she might have been dreaming after all.

The door swung open with a loud bang, and a tall, cloaked figure floated into the room. Nyxia stepped back, readying herself against the Lich that had entered and already targeted her. Green flames surrounded it like an aura of death, and as she shot several, ice spells at it, they seemed to do very little damage to it. A powerful ball of green fire knocked her weapon out of her hand, causing a sharp pain to shoot through her wrist. Nyxia winced, but before she could make a comeback, it sent out a powerful wave of energy, sending her into the wall. She cried out in pain, her spine feeling as if it might have snapped upon impact.

Slumped to the ground, the sorceress watched helplessly as the Lich approached her. Green glows surrounded her, as if the entire room was shrouded in emerald embers. It was so dark, and the dancing shadows in the room made it hard to see what happened next. She just happened to see a cluster of purple light before her eyes closed, and she was unable to remain conscious.

A demonic scream echoed, and it was all she could remember. Even then, as she came to again, a lot of what had happened was merely a blur. She was laying on what appeared to be the remainder of her bed, its sheets burnt and destroyed. So much of the room around her was in rubble and ash. It was heartbreaking.

Yet, here she was, and to her surprise, her savior had stayed by her side through the entire time.

"Ardyn...?"

"What a mess," he said, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm. "Be careful. You took a nasty beating."

"You stopped that daemon..." She wanted to ask how and why, but she was likely too disoriented to comprehend explanations right now. Even at this moment, she fought to keep awake.

"As soon as the lights went out, you were my first priority." He seemed genuinely concerned, which was a huge contrast to his prior behavior. "Get some rest. I'm not going anywhere."

Soothed by this reassurance, Nyxia laid her head back down. Everything was destroyed in her room. Always practically having everything handed to her might have made her a bit spoiled, and so having so little left intact in the room was too painful to think about. Even her stringed instrument was completely destroyed.

But as she faded back to sleep, it didn't take long for her to find herself dreaming of a place that seemed vaguely familiar. A soft breeze wafted through the open air, and as she opened her eyes she saw the sun.

It gleamed across blue waters, giving them an ethereal shine. Seagull's called from the air, and as she sat up in what appeared to be a round, white bed, she saw that she was underneath a large pavilion of sorts. Sporting a white nightgown that she hazily recalled wasn't from her own wardrobe. She _never_ wore white, after all.

Climbing out of the bed, she approached the edge of the patio, where she was given a beautiful view of a peculiarly shaped island off in the distance. She realized what this place was now.

Galdin Quay. As a child, her mother would bring her here to play in the sand and eat the most delicious of seafood. Even the palace's cooks couldn't beat what the restaurant here had to offer.

Nyxia leaned on the banister, and her senses were enlivened. The beachy smells were delectable. Then, she looked around, noticing there was no one else here.

As she turned her head to face the sea again, looking towards the dock, she was almost not surprised as a particular, masculine fragrance wafted through the air. Next to her was a set of wooden stairs that led down to the lower deck, and at the bottom, he stood, hand placed on the railing. His back was to her, as he seemed to be looking out in the same direction as she was - out towards the unending view of the sea.

She knew this was all a dream. However, she was happy to enjoy it for as long as she could. With the sun beating down on her, it felt euphoric. She descended the stairs, and in front of her, Ardyn still appeared to be motionless, as if he didn't know she was there yet.

"You saved my life." Nyxia finally broke the silence. He pivoted his body to look at her, smiling slightly. His amber eyes seemed more vivid in this dreamy sunlight. Even his violet locks seemed more vibrant in color, as if everything around her was given a saturation filter through a camera.

"I'd do it again." He held out his hand to her, and for a moment, she only looked at it. Finally, she took it, allowing him to guide her the rest of the way down the stairs.

"But why?" she asked. He hardly knew her. When she came to the palace, he never was there to see her. They stumbled on each other by chance, though now, their reunions seemed to be coincidental.

"I already told you."

Something about the world needing her. "You mean I need to find the Gem." She didn't even know where to start. Should she go back to The Fallgrove? She had been pulled out by Aranea before she could even resume her search for it.

For all she knew, it could be at the bottom of these waters.

"I have no idea where to start looking. I don't even know what it looks like."

"Perhaps you might find something of interest in the old cathedral north of Fociaugh Hollow. From what I've heard, they have a vast library full of books on artifacts." It wasn't impossible that she would find books elsewhere that could not be found in the study of her own palace. Maybe if these two kept putting their heads together, the scourge could be lifted, after all.

"I'll go out tomorrow. I'll see what I can find."

Nyxia woke up to the sound of her father's panicked voice calling her name. He had been gone the entire night, but as soon as he heard of the daemon attack, he came straight back to the cathedral.

She was in the infirmary, lying on one of the many beds. It seemed the power was back up and running. She hadn't expected that she would be the one playing patient here. However, it seemed as though she was already attended to. She had a bandage wrapped around her lower arm.

"She's okay, Your Majesty. Just a few scratches. I think the palace took more of a beating than the rest of us did," said one of the nurses, Abigale.

"Nyxia, are you alright?"

Sort of in a daze, she sat up in the bed. She saw some others that were being attended to, and she felt a bit guilty that she wasn't the one who was helping them.

"I'm fine," she murmured. "Just...hungry."

Cingarus smiled a little. "You have an appetite. That's good. I'll have them bring you something."

"No, I can walk. I promise, I'm fine." Nyxia rose to her feet, though with a small wince. "I still need to help the others."

"No," he insisted. "You need to get some rest, and I certainly don't want you going anywhere outside of the palace."

Nyxia opened her mouth to argue, but she stopped herself. She had to find that cathedral. Granted, she wasn't at her best, but she couldn't just wait around for another circumstance like the one from last night.

She sat back down on the bed, cooperating for now. She still insisted on helping the others in the infirmary in the king's absence, unable to just sit still and watch. After she had eaten, she was escorted to another room that would serve temporarily as her new chambers until the other one was restored. All of the furniture and curtains would have to be replaced. Fresh paint and paper would need to be put on the walls, and fresh carpet would need to be put down.

Thankfully, she had stored that healing cream in a safe place in the bathroom, so she had sneaked down the hall to retrieve it and put it on any abrasions she had.

Her arm would likely take a day to heal with it, but she couldn't wait around. While her father requested that she get plenty of rest through the rest of the day and the following night, she only obeyed the first half of that order. By nighttime, as everyone was going to bed, she carefully scoped out the security measures. Thage was patrolling the hallway now, leaving Nyxia no other choice but to go through the window. Dressed in fitting attire entirely in black, she slipped out, quietly closing the window behind her before she leaped off the ledge.

Dad would forgive her. There were things out there that were more important than her own, well-being.


	6. The Chancellor's Out of the Bag

The cathedral wasn't too hard to find, in absolute honesty. It was brightly lit by streetlights, warding off the daemons. It needed all the protection it could get, after all, especially since it stood on the outskirts of the Malacchi Hills.

An older gentleman in dark, blue robes approached her as she came into the cathedral. "How can I help you, miss?"

Feeling no need to reveal who she was, she merely requested to use the library. Thankfully, it was for public use, and so the man was happy to show her there. No questions were asked. She scrolled through the shelves, and though the room was a lot smaller than her own study, there were many titles which she had never heard of before. She wished she could take some of them home. She was giddy with excitement from all the information she could lap up from these rare texts.

But she was here for something very specific. She could not get distracted.

Nyxia drew out a few books that might help her, unsure of where else to start. She sat herself down at a table, glad to see the absence of others would help her focus.

There were many things of interest that the books described. Some mentioned the Ring of the Lucii, which she was only slightly familiar with, as well as The Crystal. There was also a chapter that mentioned the Royal Arms of past, Lucian Kings. Curian steel was somewhere in there, as well as something called the Black Hood, which was rumored to be the hood worn by Ifrit.

Then, finally... "Ah-ha," she muttered, pausing on the third book she had opened.

The Necromancer's Gem was also known as the Gem of Tenebra. Not related to Tenebrae, as some might have made that mistake. It was created by a very powerful necromancer lord named Vess, who intended to use it as a means of resurrection. As long as the soul was not at rest, and there was still unfinished business, the gem could bring it back. However, excessive use of it would result in purging the world of Eos into darkness.

It couldn't have been used, though. There was no record of it having been found. This particular Starscourge had been caused by something else entirely. There was still no explanation as to where it came from.

Millenia ago, Vess was defeated by the mages, and so they disguised the gem to change its appearance so they could hide it from the necromancers, should they come back for it. Most importantly, the spell the mages cast upon it also created a means for the gem to be used to purge the unending night.

 _'It was hidden away within the earth, deep in the dark underground of Eos to never see the light of day again, but so that it might one day be used to bring light, if needed.'_ Nyxia scanned over the same paragraphs a few times, making sure she didn't miss anything. There was still no specific location, and so she still didn't have much to go off of. Still, she knew more than she did before she came to the cathedral.

Feeling accomplished with her findings so far, she didn't stop there. There didn't seem to be much else of interest in the other books that she had pulled. After she put everything away and thanked the priest, she returned homeward bound. Little did he know, she had taken the key pages that she needed with her.

Just as stealthily as she had left her room, she returned. Getting back up to the window was harder than just jumping down, but with the help of a staff with a scythe attachment, she was able to do it. It wasn't an effortless task. With her arm still not fully healed, there was a strain on the wound. She all but stumbled into the room when she opened the window, and she was glad to see that the door was still close to our room. It seemed no one had noticed her disappearance.

She went to her bed, adjusting the pillows so that they no longer represented a body lying under the covers. Afterwards, she made sure to put a fresh layer of medalla cream onto her arm before she would climb into bed. She would take a shower in the morning. Right now, however, she was more eager to see if she would get a certain visitor in her dream world.

However, the night continued dreamlessly. While it was a refreshing rest, and she was even able to sleep in, she had hoped to be able to share her newfound information with Ardyn.

There was no training today. Instead, Thage helped her brush up on Reflection, a type of meditation that aided her in healing. Not that Nyxia felt she really needed it, but it did help her feel enlightened. At around the usual time, she went to the infirmary, and there only seemed to be one man in there who needed attention. He had short, blond hair that spiked a bit at the top, and it seemed a daemon had forgotten its claw in his shoulder.

Nyxia readied an antidote before she would pull it out. He didn't seem to take the pain too well as she did, but it subsided as she rubbed it on with a dull cloth.

"Thanks. I don't need a sling for it, do I?"

"Nah," Nyxia said with a smile. "It'll be alright, just give it a day or two. Here's some extra antidote for the road, if you plan on going back to hunting right away."

"I'll wait a couple of days," he said, a bit more chipper now. "Take a couple of days and do some night photography."

"Photography, huh? You do it for a living?"

His smile faded. "Nah. I probably would have, if I had some sunshine to work with. Maybe one day, right?"

"Maybe." Nyxia said, smiling a bit. "Take care of yourself out there. And try not to work that shoulder too hard."

"Thanks."

Leaving the hospital wing earlier than she usually did, Nyxia took some time to traverse the gardens that weren't too far away. It was quiet out here, and though fresh air was hard to come by without natural sunlight, she still liked being able to get out. Luckily, as long as the lights were on, the plantlife of the gardens would still remain alive.

Shortly after she had started her outdoor walk, however, the sky began to fall. Raindrops tapped on her head, lightly at first. Then, they fell harder, and it didn't take long for her black hair to stick against the sides of her face. At least it wasn't cold.

Still, as she made her way back towards the palace, she really was in no real hurry. Then, the rain stopped hitting her head. She looked up to see an umbrella was being held over her head, and Nyxia grinned as she saw who had saved her from the rain.

"My hero."

"It looks like you've been busy, my lady. I hope you aren't working yourself too hard."

"You sound like my father. Believe me, I'm fine." She turned to look at Ardyn. "I did what you said. I have some good, solid information about the gem."

"What I said?" he repeated, smiling. He seemed clueless. "What ever do you mean?"

Oh. This was awkward. She opened her mouth to say something, but the sound of footsteps around the corner of the courtyard caused her to panic. She shouldn't have been out here (and really wasn't supposed to have been helping the injured today, either). King's orders and all. She was also pretty sure someone seeing this stranger talking to her would raise a lot of questions.

She grabbed him by the arm, pulling him in the other direction. "Shh, follow me," she whispered. They made their way into the palace through a side entrance. A set of stairs would take them up, but with sight of Thage on the far side of the hallway, she hesitated. There was no way she could try to explain why she was smuggling a middle-aged man into her bedroom.

"Wait here," she muttered to him, then crossed the hallway, keeping Ardyn hidden around the corner. Thage turned to look at her, noticing she was wet from the rain outside.

"Lady Nyxia! Have you been outside? You know your father would throw a fit if he knew you weren't resting."

"Thage, you know me. I can take care of myself. I need you to do me a big favor, though."

"What do you need, my lady?"

"Could you check the power panel out in the courtyard? The lights were flickering out there..."

"I'll get someone to check on it in a little bit."

"Please, Thage..." Nyxia sounded a little more desperate now. "I just want to make sure the power doesn't go out. I'd be terrified if something like that happened again..."

The guardswoman gave her a concerned look. She seemed convinced. "Okay. I'm on it."

Once Thage was out of sight, having gone down the stairs closest to her, Nyxia rebounded to the bedroom. It seemed that Ardyn had already sneaked inside.

"You sneaky imp," he said, casually perched on a chair by the window. "I didn't know how sly you were."

"I don't think my father would appreciate knowing I'm up and about, especially with a stranger on the premises."

"I'm not a stranger. Well, not to you, at least."

"There's still a lot of things I don't know about you."

"Well, if you're eager to learn..." There was something suggestive in the tone, and it distracted her from the topic on hand.

"Who were you here for when you first came here?"

Ardyn's expression became a bit more serious now. "Well, if you must know, I had some business with a certain, former mercenary, though she happened to not present when I was there."

For a moment, Nyxia pondered. Then, it hit her. "You mean... Aranea?" What kind of business, she wondered, did he have with her? Was it possible she had been absent because this business was something to avoid?

Was it imperial-related, even though the Niffs were really down to nothing, what with their emperor and commodore deceased.

Wait...

Nyxia stepped back suddenly, realizing just who she had smuggled into the palace. "How could I be such an idiot!?"

He simply smiled at her. "Aranea Highwind is my ally, not my enemy. She might not like me much, but let's face the facts. She doesn't like anyone, does she?"

"I think she has a pretty good reason for not liking the chancellor of the imperial army."

"Of an imperial army that doesn't exist anymore." Ardyn rose to his feet, taking her shoulders firmly in his hands. "I'm on your side, Nyxia. You have to believe me on that."

Niflheim had been the reason her cousin, Anastella, was gone. Ardyn Izunia served a cruel man - the emperor who was ready to strike down King Regis and the entire city of Insomnia on the night of signing their peace treaty.

It couldn't get more evil than that.

Yet...Ardyn did save her life. Conflicted, Nyxia pulled away from him. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because no one wants this world to live in darkness forever. No one but daemons benefit from that."

The princess supposed she just had to be careful around him. Had he not been so damn charming and flirtatious with her, this might have been easier. Not to mention, if he hadn't been here with that Lich attacked her, she might not have been standing here now.

"Maybe you're right." She was still trying to wrap her head around this revelation. Indeed, if her father did know who she had been spending her time with, she'd be just as dead as Ardyn. In the end, all of humankind ought to be on the same side. It was daemons against the people of Eos, and that was it.

Also, if she was going to get any help in finding a way to help Eos, Ardyn was it. No one else had really been supporting her cause.

"Don't disappoint me," she said, her voice firm. She wanted to be able to trust him. Even up until now, he had never really done anything to make her think otherwise. He had done a lot to help her. More than she could really ever ask for...

His hand reached out to her cheek- the same that had been cut and healed before the poison could course. Again, all thanks to him.

"I won't."

No. She couldn't take it anymore. She still didn't know what it was she felt. She was in bliss, but she was angry. She was excited, but she afraid of him, too. She never had a lover before. She never even harbored such emotions like this before. Was this what love felt like, or was she just imagining it?

Maybe there was only one, sure way to find out.

Her hands reached up to both sides of his head, pulling him in and locking her lips with his. He stood at least half a foot taller than she did, forcing her to lift herself up on her toes a little.

He seemed to welcome it, and to her relief, he didn't deny her. His hand slipped from her face to her shoulder again, and she felt a slight squeeze from his fingers.

Then, Nyxia slowly reared back. It was mostly innocent, for a kiss. No tongue, no gropes... Not something she was ready for, even if her mind was whizzing with ideas. Ardyn grinned down at her, his hand reaching up to her chin, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip.

"I should leave, before your guard realizes your clever rouse to sneak me in. Come find me tomorrow evening, at six. You know where."

Lestallum, of course. Nyxia was certain She nodded, somewhat in a daze as he slipped through the window. Shortly after Ardyn had disappeared, she remembered she had meant to show him the papers she had retrieved.

It can wait, she thought to herself. Tomorrow, she would make a special trip to Lestallum. She would just have to make an excuse as to why, since she had made her supply run for the week already.


	7. Memories in Light

Sleep was hard to come by, at first. All she could think about was that kiss, and how crazy she must have been to initiate it. What if Ardyn was nothing but trouble for her? She ought to just walk out of this now, while she still had the chance. She could just not go. Stay where it was safe and stick to routine at the palace. Yet, Nyxia also thought of so many reasons why she shouldn't stay put.

She finally found someone who would help her. He was fun to be around, and now, things were getting a lot more interesting.

She made sure not to forget her stolen papers, tucking them into her leather jacket as she headed for the door to her room. Thage wasn't in the hallway, which was a good start to her escape plan. After all, she hadn't seen her since she bull-faced lied to her about the power panel the day before.

One of the other guards, Orion, had been the one to spot her as she treaded towards the car. "My lady, where are you going?"

"I have to make an emergency run to Lestallum," she said, putting on a panicked expression. "I thought we had enough Curian rose petals, but I was wrong."

"You made your supply run for this week already. The king has already been reluctant enough to let you go even then."

"Orion, please. There's little time! A woman's life is at stake!"

"I..." the man sighed in defeat and nodded. "Very well. You may go."

Damn, she was a good actor when she wanted to be. Getting into the black car, she all but sped out of sight, feeling victorious in her success. Orion was a sucker for girls in need. Knowing that played nicely in her hands.

Nyxia headed for Lestallum, the two-hour drive taking closer to an hour and a half with the speed she was going at. She reminded herself that she better at least get those petals while she was there, so she didn't come back empty-handed.

In the distance, among the trees, she spotted a couple of Iron Giants angrily fighting it out in the dark. Curian lights might have possessed a certain energy that retracted daemons, but the headlights on their vehicles did not. So, she tended to shut them in off in hopes to avoid grabbing their attention. Usually, it worked, but that wasn't to say they couldn't hear the growl of the engine.

Accompanied by some heavy metal music as she road along, Nyxia felt giddy with excitement - as if this was supposed to be some kind of date. She tried not to think of it as such, at least unless Ardyn said otherwise. In fact, it was probably best that she didn't try anything crazy like kissing him again. For someone who had never been as much as kissed before, she was beginning to think she might have been coming on too strongly.

At last, the beacon that was Lestallum was in sight. She parked the convertible over by the gas station, as she was sure she would need to fill it up before she headed back home.

Nyxia stopped by the market first. With a brief glance around at the humble crowd, no one stood out to her as the person she was looking for. Might as well get what she at least pretended to come here for. Gathering the rose petals from a kiosk on the far left, she kept them in a small, paper bag as she would continue to look around. There was nothing else she really needed, though a few things did catch her interest. There was a ruby necklace, for instance, that was displayed on a black, velvet bust. A single pendant dangled from a round ring at the center of the gold chain. The older man behind the counter noticed her eyeballing it and saw an opportunity.

"Would the lady like to try it on?" he asked in a thick accent that she couldn't place.

"Uh... sure."

He unfastened the chain and came from behind the kiosk to slip it around her neck. Nyxia pulled back her long hair to help out. She had never really been much for jewelry, but she did like red, and these rubies just looked too rich in color to ignore.

However, she didn't have nearly enough gil on her to pay for it. As he showed her what it looked like in a handheld mirror, it was obvious she fell in love with it. Still, she had to turn it down.

After disappointingly returning the necklace to him, she grabbed herself a snack - steak kabobs that were being cooked fresh on the grill closer towards the parking lot.

She was beginning to think Ardyn wouldn't be showing. She had been here for over an hour, and she felt all the more distressed, having made the trip for nothing. She would eat her share and then leave.

As she nibbled on the skewered meat, she stood by the overlook, arms propped up against the half-wall. All there was to really look at was water and trees... and darkness.

Then, out in the distant sky, movement caught her eye. Looked like it was Aranea's magitek engine, and it seemed like she was heading in the general direction of Leide's coast...

Could it be possible he wasn't talking about Lestallum at all? Maybe he knew she had imagined Galdin Quay in her sleep...

Then, just to contradict her suspicions, there was that scent in the humid air again.

"I was starting to think something happened to you." She hadn't even turned around, but she knew he stood behind her.

"Were you worried about me? That's sweet." Ardyn came up beside her, and as they both stood by the wall, the viewfinder in between them, Nyxia couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Nah. Just thought you bailed on me."

"You've hurt my feelings," his tone was teasing. As Nyxia turned to look at him, she also noticed how deserted the overlook appeared to be. Those who were outside seemed to be closer towards the buildings on the other side of the far street.

"So, why here?" she asked him.

"The City of Light they call it now... it's safe enough, but as you understand, security is much too high in Curia for me to visit you."

"Seeing someone like you would probably put them into panic mode. You're right. Definitely not a chance I want to take right now."

Ardyn gave her a look - one that was kind of hard to read. "You trust me, don't you?"

Nyxia didn't know how to answer that question without offending him. She chose her words carefully. "I want to."

"Come with me." Ardyn held his hand out to her. "There's something I want to show you."

He led her across the parking lot up to a burgundy convertible, a Vixen, that appeared to be his own. Gesturing for her to get into the passenger side, he would climb in and drive away from the city.

Eventually, she caught the smell of salty water, and she had a faint feeling she knew where they were headed. Before too much longer, the sea was within sight, as was the peculiarly-shaped island in the distance that was Angelgard.

"I haven't been to Galdin Quay since I was a little girl," she murmured. She could faintly recall splashing water at her mother and having picnics with her on the sand. All of that came before the scourge. Now, her mother was hardly ever home, taking care of more important matters out in the world of Eos.

"Then, what you're about to see is a grand contrast to what you might recall."

As they pulled into the parking area and stopped, Nyxia realized she had never seen the coast this dim. While some of the street lights that were still standing were lit, it was clear that this place has been abandoned. She followed him towards the docks, and they took the long boardwalk towards the Mother of Pearl.

In this pavilion, furniture was turned over and filthy. Even clothes were scattered across the ground, some scorched and shredded. Galdin Quay was no longer a haven of freshly cooked seafood and luxury, it was simply an encasement of darkness and decay.

Seeing what had come of her childhood getaway, it did something to her. Fuel was poured onto the fire. She couldn't keep standing idly by and let this scourge progress for eternity. More and more people were beginning to believe the Cosmonogy was a lie. There was no king to save Eos. The search had been called off years ago.

"I know what I need to do," she said. Taking out the papers she had torn out from the book, she handed them to Ardyn. "Problem is...I don't think I can do it alone..."

While she hadn't seen him do it exactly, she knee he was capable of fighting daemons, no doubt more than she was. Making the journey to find the gem wasn't the problem. It was surviving those who wanted her to fail.

As he looked over the text, he seemed to be in deep thought. "I think I know how I can help. If you could give me a day..."

"I can handle a day. I just hope the rest of the world can, too..." Darkness had fully consumed Eos for eight years. Really, what was a day?


	8. Rubia

The following evening had been when her godsend finally came. At first, Nyxia didn't know what to think of it. There had to be some sort of mistake. As she was still staying in the spare room that had been temporarily designated for her, her aid came through the window in the form of a crimson, fox-like creature. Nyxia couldn't believe her eyes.

A Carbuncle stood before her in her bedroom, more elegant than Shiva and cuter than a chocobo chick.

For a moment, Nyxia was certain there had to be some sort of mistake. But then, it spoke to her.

 _"Nyxia, right?"_

"Uh... yeah." The words struggled to come out. A guardian sent from the gods had come for her? This couldn't have been what Ardyn had prepared for her. It had to be something even greater.

It was a sign. She had to be the one to stop the daemons' eternal reign. What other explanation could there be?

 _"I'm here as your protector, as the gods would have it, to help you on your quest to find the Gem of Tenebra. I am called Rubia."_

"Rubia," the sorceress repeated hazily. "I... I'm sorry, I've never met one of you before. I'm sort of at a loss for words."

 _"That's alright! We carbuncles get that every now and then. You shouldn't feel intimidated or anything. Just think of me as a cute companion."_

"I suppose so."

The next day, Nyxia sought off on her second quest of finding the gem. Now knowing it was a necessity, she had newfound determination and a little extra help.

It had been difficult, explaining this to her father, but seeing Rubia seemed to convince him that she was in good hands. Also, as Cingarus was being waited on to start an important meeting, he didn't have much time to really argue.

Leaving Curia towards the early afternoon, they made their way towards Galdin Quay. However, instead of stopping by the docks, they instead parked and went to the right. By the rocky hills on the coast was a well-hidden, cave entrance. She supposed she might as well start furthest east and work her way inward, until a better solution proposed itself.

She never knew of this place having a name, and after a while of exploring its damp, dark interior, she was beginning to realize why it was. There was nothing extraordinary about it; it wasn't even very large. It probably took them an hour to navigate the entire thing and come out through the other side. Having to climb the rocks back over to return to the car, Nyxia found herself rather disappointed.

At least they didn't come across any big hustles throughout, save for some flying daemons that were easier to conquer with her throwing daggers. Nyxia even managed to come out unscathed.

Upon returning to the car, the two of them left the coast behind and made towards the Keycatrich Trench. There was plenty of time to check out the old, war shelter underneath northern Leide before she needed to return home. Surrounded by rock and dilapidated, support beams, every turn seemed like it could be a death trap.

Remarkably, however, the power still seemed to work down here. There were lights dangling from the ceiling that were still lit, though some of which did seem to be burnt out. Still, it was enough to help her navigate through the dungeon.

Then, suddenly, a pack of goblins made their presence known from the other side of one of the barred gates. They skipped and hopped about the room as if they were taunting them.

 _"They're harmless."_ Rubia stalked away, her crimson tail curled behind her. _"Don't pay them any mind."_

Nyxia followed, though a bit more cautious than the carbuncle. She didn't like goblins, knowing they had quite a bit of a mischievous reputation. The corridor they followed eventually took them into an open area, where a running generator confirmed that someone had been here before them.

"How long do you suppose the electricity has been running?" she asked curiously. Rubia didn't seem to have heard her, as the carbuncle suddenly stopped in her tracks. Behind them, the goblins suddenly rammed through the doorway, using the weight of their own bodies to tear through. The walls seemed to shake as they did, and suddenly, as the daemons swarmed towards them, rock began to crumble behind their wake.

"Run!" shouted Nyxia, and the pair of them bolted further down the corridor. She could only hope that they could outrun the collapsing walls...

They came into another room that branched off, and as she looked behind them, it appeared the fallen rubble had taken the goblins down with it. It was silent now, and Nyxia huffed, taking a moment to catch her breath.

 _"There's no way but forward now,"_ Rubia said, coming up by Nyxia's boot and sitting for a moment. _"I'm sure there's another way."_ "There has to be, if it's a shelter," she murmured. After all, if it was designed to protect its inhabitants from enemies, there had to be a way to sneak out if someone found the entrance.

A few minutes further of walking, and they soon came across two paths, both of which led to large, ornate doors. She took the one on the left first, and for a moment, pondered over what it was she had walked into.

The room was relatively small, but it looked important. There were statues of men carrying shields lined across the rounded wall, which instead of being bulky rock, seemed to be made of smooth concrete.

In the center of the room was an elevated altar, where the statue of a king lied on its back.

"Is this...a royal tomb of the Lucis line?" Nyxia murmured in awe. The ethereal creature behind her observed curiously, as well.

 _"It is. And the axe it's supposed to wield is missing."_

"Do you suppose King Noctis had already taken it?" Nyxia sighed, brushing back her hair. "Not that it matters, I suppose. He's been missing for a long time now. It's not like he's coming back."

At this, Rubia perked up at her. _"Don't say that. Others out there still have hope. But that's not to say we shouldn't do what we can to try and help."_ "Those daemons attacked my home, my city and my people. I can't stand aside and let that happen again."

 _"I don't blame you."_ Rubia followed her out of the tomb and to the other path - the only other way they could go. The other door was closed, and even seemed to be locked, but as she approached it, it seemed to react, giving off a soft, blue glow from its decorative metal.

Did it open with magic, she wondered? The princess raised her hands, focusing her energy towards it and closing her eyes. She tried everything she could, even spells more offensive, such as fire. Yet, nothing changed; there wasn't even a scratch on it.

"How does it open?" Nyxia asked herself in distress.

 _"Typically, with a key."_ "I didn't know you could be sassy." Nyxia looked at the carbuncle, grinning just a little. However, if that was the case, how were they going to get out of here? The way back was completely barricaded by boulders far too heavy for her to lift.However...

"I have an idea," Nyxia said, and with a skip in her step, she bounded back towards the barricade. Rubia followed curiously. If the rocks were too big to move, the most sensible thing to do would be to make them smaller. So, as they returned to the congested corridor, she drew out her water staff, conjuring a constant, powerful jet to break it down, little by little.

It seemed to make only a small difference before Nyxia needed to stop and regain her strength. Only the smaller rocks seemed to respond, and even then, they didn't get far.

Then, beside her, a bright, pink light illuminated the area. The carbuncle came up beside her, and the source of the magic came from the long, jeweled horn on her forehead. Nyxia didn't understand what it was at first, but then, she felt her energy returning to her.

Again, the sorceress gave the spell another shot. This time, the aquatic stream was much larger and stronger than before. The pile of rubble began to shift now, and as the smaller pieces washed away, the larger ones began to crack and crumble before they would follow suit.

"Yes! We did it!" Nyxia chimed. The way back was opened up again, and though there seemed to be no sign of the daemons that were pursuing them earlier, it seemed safe enough to go back, which seemed to be the only choice, considering they had reached their dead end.

In the end, it was a bust. However, if nothing else, it did show her what her new, "cute companion" was capable of. It also allowed her to look more into that curious door that wouldn't even budge.

 _Time to pull out the books again,_ she thought to herself.


	9. In Training

It was a late night in the study. Rubia had gone to the newly refurbished bedroom to take a nap, which was fine for the mage as she tried to find a solution to opening the mysterious door. Nyxia hated mysteries. Perhaps that was why she always had her nose buried in a book. The pages usually had answers, but so far, she wasn't finding muck luck.

Did so few people really find their way that deep into the trench that this was still an unsolved puzzle? Such a large door could not have gone unnoticed, no matter how deep under the ground it was.

Finally, Nyxia had returned to her original room. For the most part, everything looked the same. The curtains were the same color and style, as was the dark carpet. The only thing that was different was the bedspread - burgundy and gold surrounded by a darker maroon of a sheer canopy.

Her father had promised her she could pick out her own vanity table and wardrobe as an early birthday present - something they would go out to shop for the next day. That pretty much meant no hunting for the gem. Still, Nyxia wouldn't say no to that. Having her clothes piled up in the closet just wasn't practical for her.

Lestallum was the place for everything, it seemed, even bedroom furniture, though finding the person that ran such a store was a little harder. Most of the city was being used as a safe haven for a lot of refugees. Shop owners did plenty of side tasks rather than selling stuff, such as finding meteorshards to help fuel the power plant.

However, after some asking around, a woman with short, brown hair offered to do business with her. Her name was Iris. She said she typically sold clothes from a little kiosk when she wasn't out hunting daemons, but she knew the woman who ran the furniture shop and could give her the gil when she returned.

With some help from a couple of men in the vicinity, the wardrobe set and table were carefully loaded onto Orion's pick-up truck.

However, Orion tended to get a little chatty, even when he was supposed to be serving as her guard. Once he got in a conversation with an older man in a red jacket, Nyxia knew she wasn't going to be able to tear him away without physically dragging him off. And that was just plain rude.

So, she sneaked off. Nyxia didn't really like being treated like a fragile princess. After all, dressed in black, ripped denim and a halter top and leather jacket, it wasn't as if she dressed like one, either.

Perhaps it was just her way to blend into the public. Perhaps she just liked the spunky style, rather than sporting some cutesy dress.

She hoped she might spot Ardyn somewhere within the city, but there seemed to be no trace of him this time. Perhaps there was no "third time's a charm" circumstance today.

She also took a stroll through the market, and though she was tempted to buy the ruby necklace she had tried on a few days ago, it appeared that the shop was nowhere to be found. The man must have packed up and left. _Oh, well. That's what I get for procrastinating._

Instead, she bought a couple of root beers for herself and Orion to take on the road.

That night, Aranea Highwind happened upon the city. The training session had been postponed until Nyxia had everything set up in her room. Her trainer was out in the hallway, talking with Thage as the princess came out.

"My lady, how is it?" Thage asked.

Nyxia smiled slightly. "All I need now is a cello."

At this, the guardswoman frowned a bit. "I know you loved that instrument. However, your father no doubt thinks it's time for you to find new hobbies."

Nyxia might have fussed, had Aranea not been right there. Instead, she just looked at the ex-mercenary. "Ready when you are."

Lately, their training sessions had been a bit more strenuous. However, it came as a slight surprise when Aranea had led her away from the palace's premises. Nyxia had been about to inquire where they were going, but it seemed the other woman was already set on explaining herself.

"I've been informed there's a daemonic behemoth that's been terrorizing hunters south of here," she said. "It took out two of the Kingsglaives that went hunting for it. I'd take it out myself, but I saw this as a good opportunity for you to redeem yourself."

At this, Nyxia couldn't help but be a little excited. She had never gone hunting before, and to do so alongside Aranea was a huge deal. She had always wanted to do this.

"Thanks for keeping me in mind."

Aranea stopped by a bulky, black motorcycle standing by a curb. Nyxia watched as she climbed on. Only that bounty hunter would have transportation this cool. "Hop on," Aranea said, and so, she did, unsure of where to really put her hands once she was perched behind her. Then, the motorbike took off, nearly sending Nyxia off the back end. She quickly grabbed onto Aranea's waist, though it felt kind of strange to do so.

The drive wasn't very long, at least. Their destination was The Vesperpool, which was southeast from the city of Curia. On several occasions, Nyxia had been tempted to ask about Ardyn and how they knew each other, but somehow, she just felt safer not sharing about her relationship with the man.

"So, whatever did happen to all the Niffs, since the scourge? Are they still around?" she asked instead, playing a safer route.

"They're still around," Aranea confirmed. "Granted, a lot of people still don't like them, but there are some who have turned over a new leaf. After all, there's no point in us fighting amongst ourselves when there's something greater out there. Know what I mean?"

That was pretty much the exact same point that Ardyn had made. Nodding, Nyxia felt a bit more at ease about the whole thing. "I know exactly what you mean," she said. The bike came to a stop once they reached the swampy area. Glad she wore her knee-highs, Nyxia climbed off, though felt the heavily-saturated ground sink beneath her weight a little.

Ugh...

"So, where is this thing hiding?" Nyxia had expected this behemoth to be easier spot in such an open area. Although, the destroyed campsite just a few yards away was evidence that it couldn't have gone too far.

"It's probably moved towards The Myrlwood. Which means we'll have to walk a little."

As they changed direction, Nyxia followed, staff at the ready, just in case. Rain was beginning to fall, as if the earth needed more moisture in it.

"So, you must have done something to catch his interest."

"Sorry?" Nyxia almost had missed her words, and it took her a couple of seconds longer to figure out what she was indicating to.

"The imperial chancellor," Aranea clarified. "Not so much that nowadays, but for as long as I worked for him, not once have I seen him so fixated on something, let alone someone."

"Fixated? I...uh..." Nyxia stuttered a little. Shit! So much for keeping it quiet.

"Relax, princess. Your secret is safe with me." Aranea glanced over her clad shoulder at her. "It's just...weird. It takes a lot more than a set of nice tits and a pretty face to keep his attention. He hardly gave me a second glance." Then, her voice quieted to a tone of disgust. "And thank the gods for that."

"He said you didn't like him much."

"Never did," Aranea confirmed. "But then again, I don't like taking orders, nor what the empire stands for, which is why what I do now is completely voluntary. The pay isn't as good, but it beats waiting around for the end of the world."

"I guess so." Still a little flustered, Nyxia glanced downward. Aranea Highwind thought she had big tits and a pretty face? Or was she just speaking hypothetically? Before the topic could pursue any further, she heard a loud noise among the trees further ahead, soon followed by a roar that could only belong to the behemoth.

"Girl talk later. Let's move."

Like a rocket, Aranea shot up from the mud and toward the beast. Nyxia followed suit, though with feet still firmly grounded. Aranea made the first blow, and it primarily only managed to get the behemoth's attention. Aside from being larger than most, it looked like any other behemoth that Nyxia had seen. Sure, it's eyes glowed a bloody red, but otherwise, was that really the only thing that made it _daemonic_?

Then, there came the fire. No, it didn't breathe fire like a dragon, but with a swipe of its monstrous claws, a wave of flames came forth like a firestorm, instantly setting the grass between it and the hunters alight.

"Watch out! This mutt means business!"

Aranea struck again, soaring over the wall of orange embers and driving her lance into the side of the behemoth's body. It thrashed angrily, as if trying to shake off a mosquito. Nyxia swept the staff in front of her, causing a disturbance in the fire ahead of her before it seemed to dissipate somewhat.

By her will, the weapon transformed into what appeared to be a giant trident. It would conjure a great gust of cold wind, small shards of ice flying towards the beast. It was clearly pained by it, its growl becoming much more angered, bloodied fangs bared to the skies. Aranea landed beside the mage. They teamed up on it now, using everything they had to bring it down. When the daemon was finally vulnerable, the two of them struck at once. Aranea gave her trainee a boost into the air, and immediately after, she followed. Trident and lance were driven into the monster, one into its back, the other into its head.

At last, it fell onto its side before its limp body would diminish into ash, dampened by the rain to only wash away into the grass.

Adrenaline was rushing through her every pore right now, Nyxia almost couldn't think straight. She finally realized what she had been missing out on all of this time.

"That felt amazing," Nyxia exhaled as she looked at Aranea, who seemed quite calm. Obviously, she had done this sort of thing many times, that it was likely no big deal to her.

"You did good, princess. Keep it up, and I might yet make a hunter out of you."

"That's what I would want more than anything," she confessed.

"One day, maybe. Gotta start somewhere."


	10. Strung

Returning to the palace, Nyxia and Aranea had gone their separate ways. Granted, she had been hoping to get a bit more praise for such a job well done. Maybe that was all part of being a hunter, however. Do what one can to protect the innocent, but not for their gratitude - only for their protection.

Once she retired to bed, Nyxia slept, and she had never come across slumber so deep. She couldn't even recall dreaming.

The following day consisted of setting up the new furniture and filling the drawers up with clothes that had been sitting in her closet for days. She had been interrupted when she was close to being finished when Thage informed her of an emergency in the infirmary.

A hunter had been injured badly, said he had been fighting a giant daemon, the couldn't say what it was exactly. He said it came out of the wall of a tunnel on the road, almost as if it was molded with it. It came out of nowhere.

From the burns on his arm, Nyxia distinguished what medicine she needed to help him. The injury, however, was really bad. The burn even seemed to be spreading like a disease. Nonetheless, she comforted him as best as she could, telling him he would need to stay here for a couple of days in order to regroup.

However, of all the years she had been doing this, she never had the opportunity nor the courage to tell someone that they might not make it.

Aranea took her out for another hunt on the following day. Having learned it was the day before her birthday, the more experienced hunter took it as an excuse to get her trained. She even said it could be her birthday present. After tracking some denizens of the night on the outskirts of Curia, they took them down as a team.

It was well past everyone's bedtime when she finally returned to the palace. Still needing to wind down from the thrill of the hunt, Nyxia got herself showered and changed into night clothes - a black dress that fell just below her knees.

She had been ready to engage herself in a book when something filled the air. It was the unmistakable scent that she had started to suspect would have been lost to her.

"Someone's been busy."

The man was perched in her opened window; she had deliberately left it so in order to let some air inside. She hadn't exactly expected that the imperial chancellor would make an entry, too.

Not that she was exactly complaining.

"Ardyn... you know you shouldn't be here."

"Then, perhaps you ought to keep your voice down so they don't hear you." He stepped inside, his boots almost inaudible against the new carpet.

Nyxia's cheeks flushed, having not realized until then she wasn't exactly using her quiet voice. "You just startled me a little, that's all."

Ardyn gave her an inquisitive look, and for a moment, she thought he might have been eating her up with his amber eyes. "If it's a bad time, I can leave."

"No, it's not that. It's just that I haven't seen you in days, so I didn't know when to exp-"

He had closed in on her like a hawk, though Nyxia hadn't stopped talking until she was forced to, when his index finger pressed onto her lips. "I came, because I have something to give you." Nyxia didn't expect him to shower her with gifts, even if tomorrow was her twentieth birthday. She imagined it was something more along the lines of aiding her with finding the gem. "Now, close your eyes."

She did so, now questioning why this had to be a surprise. She felt his finger leave her mouth and heard him shuffle for a moment.

"Now, let's see what we have here."

She opened her eyes, expecting to see a book that would give her more insight. However, the last thing she had anticipated was for him to be propping up a large, black case in the shape of a cello in between them.

Her heart skipped a beat. She briefly recalled that while they overlooked the waters beyond Galdin Quay, she had mentioned to him how she once had one and lost it during the daemon attack, and how it had been her fondest possession. She hadn't thought he would replace it, though.

This had to be a prank. He did have a sense of humor, albeit subtle.

Yet, as she opened the case, she was utterly breathless at the sight of the polished, black wood and bronze strings inside. It was immensely beautiful. Nyxia couldn't imagine how much gil this might have cost him.

"You didn't have to do this," she said after a long moment of silence. "I mean... It's gorgeous, but..."

Nyxia didn't want to come off as rude, and so she stopped herself there. As she stroked her fingertips over the smooth wood, she wanted so desperately to try it right then and there. After all, it had been over a week since she lost hers, and her fingers itched to play again.

"May I?" she asked, glancing up at him. Ardyn looked quite amused by her amazement as he took a seat on the bench at the foot of the bed.

"It's all yours. Besides, I have been hoping to hear you play."

Nyxia took out the large instrument with care. The only thing that needed to be attached was the endpin to prop it from the ground. After she secured it, she drew up a chair and perched in the middle of the floor. With the cello propped up between her knees, she took a couple of minutes to make sure it was tuned. As she did, she couldn't help but reminisce. "My father always thought it was a bit of a strange hobby," she said. "Always thought I needed to focus more on spellcasting and being a princess, but my cousin and I used to play strings all the time. She played the viola like an angel. But we did this thing called growing up, and she became a part of the Kingsglaive..."

She paused, and Ardyn seemed to read her expression like an opened book. "It didn't end well, did it?"

"Unfortunately not," Nyxia sighed. "She was my best friend. We did everything together. I guess if she was still alive, we would be hunting the daemons together." Soon, she was done, and as she picked up the bow, she would distract herself from the depressing thoughts as she began playing.

The fine silk on the bow rubbed along the strings, and instantly, Nyxia lost herself. It was like drifting into a dream. The notes flowed like a gentle stream of water, and soon, she closed her eyes. It was as though she forgot that she was being watched. She felt so at peace, nothing else mattered. The world around her wasn't so dark, after all.

Then, she felt a caress over her shoulder. At first, it hadn't distracted her - not until it sank over the swell of her chest and further down. Ardyn was behind her now, slithering his way between her and her cello...

And he was doing a damn, fine job at succeeding.

The bow lowered and the notes ceased, though Nyxia kept herself together just enough to not let it fall to the floor. He helped her with that, and as his hand settled over her upper thigh, having just barely brushed up her skirt, his other hand took away the instrument and set it aside carefully. Her body tensed, and she didn't know whether she wanted to tell him to stop or keep going.

Being this close to him, that cologne filled her lungs and wooed her further. His lips grazed her neck, and though there was a slight roughness from his stubbled, facial hair, she urged him to continue as she leaned her head to the side. She wasn't sure exactly where to put her hands, so for the time being, she kept them on the edges of the chair cushion. Her fingers gripped tight around it, and as the skirt of her nightdress was lifted higher, she shivered in delight. She just wanted him to touch her.

She grabbed his wrist, pulling it further up until his fingers found her center. She heard him chuckle, his breath tickling at her ear.

"My, are we eager," he purred. "But I wouldn't want to spoil you."

Not entirely sure of the context of his words, she swallowed hard as he denied her, pulling away from her completely. He stepped towards the window, and she was beginning to think he was going to leave again.

"What is your game?" she demanded. "You act like you want me, but when it escalates, you're bailing on me." He stopped, but his back remained turned to her. Nyxia didn't know what else to say in order to get into turn around and look at her. Finally, she added on. "What are you afraid of?"

Ardyn looked over his shoulder at her. He didn't appear as if he was about to say anything. His eyes cast to the window, but as Nyxia rose to her feet, she heard him exhale.

"You wouldn't want someone like me, my dear."

"So, you were imperial chancellor. Whoop dee doo." Nyxia took a step forward, her eyes narrowed and agitated. "Imperial survivors have even taken a stand, so it's not like all of you or bad guys. Believe me, I'm not so narrow-minded."

"You don't even know the half of it."

"I get it, Ardyn. You might have done some pretty bad things." Granted, she might have been more upset about the attack on Insomnia had it not been so long ago. Yet, just like the survivors that she spoke of, he was helping towards a better future for Eos, wasn't he? He did that by helping her.

And she was grateful to him for it.

"I forgive you for all the terrible things you have done. For all the lives you took along the way. Why? Because you saved mine. Isn't that enough?"

Still, he said nothing. However, there was a response. She glanced at his hands as they tightened into fists. Perhaps he hadn't forgiven himself.

"Damnit, Ardyn! At least say _something_!"

Almost too quickly for her to keep up, he turned, his fingers gripping her arms and his lips claiming hers in a firm kiss. She had to shift her foot back so as not to stumble backwards. She must have said something right to make him stay. Maybe it was her determination, or perhaps the fact that she had forgiven him for...whatever crimes he had committed. She didn't need to know, nor did she _want_ to. Men could change, as was evident in the way he displayed himself around her. It was evident all around the continent, what people had been trying to say all along.

There's no need to fight each other when all the people should be on the same side.

The kiss separated, though Ardyn's hands came up to cup her face between them. She could feel the silk of his gloves on her cheeks. "I told you to keep your voice down."

Nyxia smiled slightly, her green eyes peering up at him. It seemed he had come around. "Well, if that's your way of shutting me up, then, maybe I won't."

Ardyn looked smug, up until the sound of footsteps trailed outside. Nyxia looked in the direction of the closed door.

"My Lady? What's going on in there?"

Nyxia panicked a little, shuffling Ardyn towards the window. He abided as she stuttered for a cover-up. "Uh... Just... I'm on the phone."

"It's late... Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Thage. Thank you."

Thankfully, the door was locked, otherwise she would have been deathly terrified the woman would open up. "Very well. Get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

"I will."

Nyxia usually looked forward to her birthday. There were tons of food and even in eternal darkness, Curians found time to celebrate and throw parties out in the street. Even if they did use her birthday as an excuse to get drunk and have a good time, she didn't complain.

However, the only thing she really wished for was that she didn't have to usher Ardyn off. After she was certain that Thage was gone, she peaked out through the window to see if he might have been nearby. However, he was nowhere to be seen.

Once again, gone in a hurry.

"Shit," she sighed, squirming uncomfortably as she closed the window. _I did not plan on spending tonight being hot and bothered. I guess I'm going to have to do something about it._


	11. Temptation

The lights on every street were made to be much brighter than was normal for this special day. Even Natalia Chantieri had returned home for her daughter's twentieth birthday, which immediately put everyone in higher spirits. Nyxia was also happy to see her. They were even able to share a lavish breakfast, just the three of them, in the dining room.

Outside, live music played. The streets were lined with food stands and people, a good portion of which weren't even citizens of Curia, but refugees from outside that were welcomed to stay here.

Even hunters and Lucis's King's Guard were here to help with protection, just in case daemons got too close to the border.

Once Nyxia was ready to present herself to guests that wanted to visit her, adorning a turquoise dress, she was in the main hall, where food was also displayed as snacks for those welcomed into the palace. Naturally, not many people were allowed to pass through, but many familiar faces did come, such as those she had healed in the hospital wing.

To her surprise, one of them returned with two others that were dressed in royal garb representing Lucis. She didn't know much about them until Cingarus had introduced the trio.

"Nyxia, my dear, this is the Lucian King's Guard," he said. "Meet Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum, and Gladiolus Amicitia." Each of them bowed in accordance.

"It's an honor to meet His Majesty and his daughter on such a significant day," remarked Ignis politely. She noticed he wore dark shades over his scarred eyes. It was pretty evident that he was blinded, likely from a brawl with some sort of daemon. Still, he seem to be able to navigate just fine.

"It certainly has been a long time since I saw you last, Gladiolus," Cingarus said, smiling. He looked over at Nyxia. "His father and I were good friends back in the day. I think you were only an energetic teenager when I last saw you and Clarus."

At this, a muscular male with dark hair straightened, grinning a bit. "He may have mentioned you a couple of times, Your Majesty. All good things, I promise."

"And you're Prompto," Nyxia chimed in, looking at the blond on the far right. The others seemed surprised that she had taken to him so quickly. "The photographer, right?"

He laughed, putting his hand behind his head. "That's me. Feeling a hundred percent better, thanks to Her Highness."

"Glad I could help." She looked at the others with a smile so that they didn't feel left out. "It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for coming."

As the day pursued, she still attended to those in need within the palace, but she made sure to take plenty of time to enjoy herself. After all, this day was all about her.

Even Aranea came to send her regards, gifting her with a spellbound sickle that was made of beautiful, gilded silver. Nyxia was eager to give it a try on their next hunt.

Around the time that things started quieting down, though softer music still filled the air, Nyxia had finished dinner with her family. Queen Natalia had been talking about how Altissia would soon be back to full strength again so that it could also serve as a safe haven. It would hold the same, Curian energy that they used to shield away the daemons.

Nyxia finally retired to her bedroom after enjoying her favorite dessert: salted caramel and chunky chocolate gelato. As usual, it was time to wind down a little bit before bed. Anyone else might have watched television or played games. Yet, her television screen seemed to just collect dust in her room. Instead, she listened to the strings and soft percussions playing outside. Again, she kept the window ajar, as if inviting hers truly to come inside.

After about an hour of tidying an reorganizing her room, she helped herself to a bath. The light, night music nearly put her to sleep a couple of times. One time, she had been stirred into alertness when she thought she heard a shuffling sound in the bedroom.

Her eyes darted across to the door, staring for a moment. Should she say anything? She slowly climbed out of the tub, reaching for her towel to wrap it around herself.

"Thage?" she cautiously called. "Is that you?"

Then, she opened the door. Thage was nowhere in sight, but it came as no real surprise that Ardyn had once more found his way in.

"Ah, sorry to disappoint. It's just yours truly."

"How many times are you going to sneak in here?" she asked, clutching her towel against her chest.

"Well, as it is the only means for me to see you, as many times as I want."

"And what if I told you to stop?" That wasn't to say she actually would, she was simply curious.

"Well...that depends. Would it be because you wish not to see me, or because you want to conceal me?"

Nyxia smiled faintly. "I should get dressed." Leaving him to determine that question on his own, she moved towards the wardrobe. "You might want to avert your eyes."

"Only if that's what you truly want."

Her cheeks colored with pink, the princess pulled out a nightgown from the cabinet. Was there really any need to be secretive about her body after the couple of times that they had shown intimacy towards each other?

Nyxia decided to no longer question herself. Damn the consequences. She was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions. If she didn't do it now, she'd never forgive herself for it. It would be torment.

She inhaled inaudibly. Then, the towel fell around her ankles in a pool of cotton. Cool air tickled at her skin, which was still wet from the shower. Yet, her back remained turned to him.

Had she made a mistake? Was she being stupid, expressing her desires like this?

Suddenly, she felt the silk of his fingerless gloves graze over her hips. She gasped softly, her heart racing like a coeurl.

"Temptress." Ardyn breathed against her bare shoulder. "Why is it you harbor any desire for me?"

"You haven't heard a word I said," she muttered, turning around to face him. "I know there's a good man in you. I've seen it..."

"You beautiful, naive girl..."

"You think what you want, Ardyn Izunia. Whether you want to hear it or not, I'm going to say it. I-"

She was silenced by a kiss, and before she could confess her emotions, he was effortlessly scooping her up into his arms. Her arms wrapped about his neck, and as her back sank into the mattress, she was peeling off his layers, starting with his damask-patterned shawl and coat.

She was sure that she couldn't have been his first, considering his age over her, but one thing for certain was that he most definitely was hers. She wanted to make it last, but at the same time, was terrified to pursue it. Yet, she wanted it more than anything.

With the diversions still going on outside, Nyxia felt confident that there would be no interruptions tonight. She pulled him down into another, passionate kiss as she shredded him down to his skin. There was no going back now. Nyxia tensed slightly as he positioned himself between her legs. As if he knew, he was careful, his lips locked onto hers to keep her cry to a minimum.

The pain was sharp, but brief. It really wasn't as bad as it was rumored to be. Then again, she had more tolerance to pain than some, thanks to her training.

Another, steady push, and the discomfort subsided, overcome only by pleasure a few more moments in. Nyxia whined softly, though she tried to take mind to keeping quiet in the process.

It seemed her lover struggled to do the same, though even as he resorted to sucking at her neck, she didn't stop him.

Although, she was worried about the bruise it might leave behind afterwards.


	12. I Need A Hero

In the end, it was nothing she couldn't cover up. She had used a decorative scarf to hide the imperfection, though was sure she could put together some sort of concoction to heal it rapidly.

Nyxia's main concern, though it shouldn't have surprised her, was that when she had awoken the next morning, there was hardly any trace of him. Aside from the hickey on her neck, the only proof that he had ever been there was the scent of his cologne on the sheets. He had gathered all of his clothes, even the red scarf he had used to wrap the parcel.

Perhaps it was best that way. Whatever it took to avoid any questions.

Trying to act as normal as possible during her daily routine, it was hard not to think about him. She needed an excuse to get away from people once in a while. If they asked her what was wrong, she simply told them that she hadn't gotten enough sleep... which wasn't entirely false.

After her visit to the clinic, she escaped to the gardens. Her hopes were that she would be able to train with Aranea at some point today, but as the hours ticked by, she was beginning to get the impression that her trainer would not be coming tonight.

 _I need to get out,_ she told herself in desperation. If she had to do it on her own, so be it, but she was feeling too restless to stay inside the palace.

She took her new sickle that had been gifted to her, as well as her usual staff. The blade was secured to a holster in such a fashion that was safe for her to not get cut as she walked.

Nyxia didn't stray too far from home. In fact, she took the Stella GT out on the road with intentions to keep going until she came across some daemons. There was no other routine than that. Finally, she came across the Burbost Souvenir Emporium outpost, where it seemed a couple of wraiths were on the hunt for a life to take.

The car skidded to a halt, the wheels screeched, and Nyxia's green eyes narrowed. She'd be happy to let them try, but this time, she was ready.

She stepped out of the vehicle, her heeled boots clicking on the asphalt as she readied her blade that she was itching to get some use out of. They spotted her right away, and as green flames grew around the both of them in defense, Nyxia remained determined.

She growled, driving the scythe into a swing as one of them came at her. The wraith swept away from her, dodging away from the blade. Nyxia struck again, and the second time had missed as well.

Then, something interesting caught her attention as her thumb brushed over the short hilt of the sickle. Embedded in the metal was a carefully located button. Curious as to what it did, though bracing herself for anything, she pressed it down.

Suddenly, the hilt extended into a long rod. Nyxia was amazed as the weapon enlarged its range, but again, she pushed the button. This time, the rod dropped, morphing into a long chain.

"Damn," she muttered to herself. "Best birthday gift ever."

She smirked a little, swinging it a couple of times so she could get a feel for it. Again, the daemon came at her, green flames spreading out in every direction. Nyxia leapt into the air to dodge it, and the blade swung down like a pendulum on its hooded head. It released an angry, pained noise that she couldn't quite describe - only that it sent chills down her spine when she heard it.

She landed on the ground, spinning the weapon over her head as she readied herself for it to come at her again. Behind her, however, the other Lich attacked, and green fire glowed, alerting her. She spun around, swinging at it with a maneuver she hadn't planned, but she imagined looked cool, had someone else been watching. The scythe flew almost nonstop. Once got the momentum going, it was easy to keep up, though the daemon managed to dodge a couple of strikes.

Then, the chain extended, sending the blade farther out on the next cast. Nyxia yanked it back towards her, driving the scythe clear through the wraith's midsection as it came back.

The first one was wounded, though not completely down. Nyxia used a spell of light to finish it off. Ribbons of glowing yellow shot across the air from her staff, and like snakes, they wrapped around the bony arms of the wraith before they would tear them from the rest of its body. Like the other Lich she had just killed, it dissipated into a pile of ash.

"Teaches you guys not to mess with the wrong princess," she scoffed, looking down at her knee, which was bleeding. She hadn't even noticed until now that her landing on the road had scraped it, though it didn't really hurt. Not until she started walking, at least.

There was a waterfall not far from here. She made her way down the stairs, limping slightly as she did so, but it wasn't unbearable pain. Just an annoyance.

The sound of rushing water told her she was close, and as she rounded the corner of rocks to the right, she saw Callatein's Plunge, clean and peaceful as it ever was.

She had always wanted to jump into a waterfall. The child in her wanted to see what it was like, though rumor had it that the grotto beyond wasn't of ice like it used to be, warming the waters outside.

Nyxia looked around first, making sure the coast was clear before she set down her weapons, then pulled up her pant leg so as to allow the water to cleanse the wound.

Both feet in the pool created by the waterfall, she winced slightly as the blood and gravel washed away. No doubt, it would be fine in a couple of days. There was no need to waste a potion on it. Nyxia was certain she had a bandage in the glove box for it.

Before she could realize what was happening, her body was yanked into the water and under. There was a shooting pain in the back of her head, and she could barely begin fighting for breath before everything started going black. She didn't even have a chance to see what was trying to drown her.

Fresh blood pooled around her, but briefly after consciousness had left her, a giant blade punctured the water's surface.

She awoke coughing up warm water, and her stomach tensed and tightened painfully as she did so. Nyxia was lying down on what seemed to be a small bed, and there was a blanket over her, sticking to her cold, wet clothes.

She didn't see anyone in the room with her, but it seemed like she was in the trailer at the outpost. She shivered, pulling the blanket tighter around her body as she sat up.

The back of her head was pounding, and the bright streetlight outside didn't help matters. Yet, she saw another vehicle parked by the Stella. It was the burgundy convertible, though its owner seemed to be nowhere in sight.

"Ardyn..." she murmured weakly, staggering further out into the parking lot. However, her legs could barely handle her weight as she fell to the ground. She was still without her energy. She had been thrown completely off guard. How was she supposed to know that daemons could live in the water?

She crawled to the car, hoping to find some sort of trace as to where he might have gone. She only got as far as the front wheel when she had pushed herself beyond her limit. Her body ached, and even breathing still proved difficult.

Laying limply on the asphalt, she coughed and shivered.

"Damn," she heard him behind her, followed by the shuffling of his boots. "You shouldn't be out here." She was picked up from the ground and brought back inside, and the blanket was re-positioned to keep her warm.

Nyxia gave him a tired smile. "My hero yet again. At this rate, I'm probably looking like a pitiful damsel in distress."

"Hush." Ardyn kissed the top of her head. From his robe, he drew out what appeared to be a potion. "Here, drink." She did so, and as she swallowed the substance down, he continued. "You're bleeding. You must have hit your head on a rock."

"That explains a lot," she murmured, though her energy was gradually returning to her. "How did you find me?"

"Something in the air felt wrong. I only followed your aura. I suppose I just knew you were in peril."

She nestled against his chest, feeling much warmer this way. "I need to get back home, but...I can't drive."

"Don't be silly. We will stay in the camper."

"Is it safe?"

"I made sure of it. You are safe with me always." Brushing her hair from her face, Ardyn re-positioned himself so that he could stretch his legs out on the bed, and Nyxia laid on top of him.

Her father would be worried sick if she didn't return home. Still, she was in good hands, knowing that Ardyn must have somehow cleared the area to make sure they could sleep without disturbance.


	13. Breakfast

Rest came effortlessly, but once again, Ardyn was nowhere to be seen as she opened her eyes. He never seemed to stick around for very long, did he? She sighed, getting up from the bed. She needed a serious change of clothes, which she never thought to bring with her.

This was definitely a lesson learned.

At the front of the camper, the door opened. Nyxia was on high alert for a split second, ready to grab her scythe.

Then, she relaxed. Maybe he hadn't left her after all.

"The shop wasn't completely robbed, so luckily for us, I scavenged some breakfast." He handed her a bottle of water and a bag of snacks.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking a swig of the water.

"Feeling better?"

"Much," she answered. They both sat back down, and Nyxia tugged at her damp shirt a little. "I need to drive out soon. These clothes are very uncomfortable right now."

"I will allow you to remove them." He was teasing, she could tell. Nyxia smirked, splashing water at him.

"Let's see how you like it."

Ardyn flinched as the water got him on the neck and shoulder. Instantly, he grinned back, snatching the bottle and tossing it to the ground. In a split second, he was pinning her down on the bed.

And oddly enough, she liked it.

"That wasn't very nice," he cooed, and she only bit her bottom lip at him. He noticed her reaction, his grip loosening on her wrists. "You still need to recover. You're not fully healed."

She abruptly shifted her weight, throwing him to the ground and landing on top of him, pinning him just the same. He looked at her with surprise.

"You underestimate me," she purred, gliding her hands down his arms and to his chest. Then, she started to push herself up. She did need to get back home, as much as she wanted to keep having her fun with him.

Ardyn pulled her back down before she could get out of reach. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Nyxia gasped slightly as his hand found her backside, gripping it firmly. In return, she seized him through his black trousers. He was already hard, and for some reason, feeling it only enticed her more. "Mm, she's getting feisty now."

Nyxia licked her lips as she peered down at him slyly. "Should I stop?" Somehow, she already anticipated that he was enjoying every bit of it.

"By all means, don't."

She acted on pure, animalistic instinct now, her fingers tearing open his zipper just enough to withdraw his shaft. In turn, he helped remove her pants, the task a bit more frenzied and difficult, considering the damp material was still sticking to her flesh.

She was still on top of him as he pushed himself into her. This time, there's was no need to be so secretive, as they were out in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps the worst they had to worry about was attracting daemons with their sexual episode.

It was almost a battle for domination. She took initiative to ride him the moment he drove himself into her. Nyxia's body flexed as she bounced over him, and despite her injury, she didn't hold back. Right now, all she could feel was pleasure, and the gasps and moans that emitted from her lips made that quite evident.

She came first, but her body pumped on until she was sure he was satisfied. His thrusts took over at the very end, and he held her hips tightly as he shot his warm seed into her.

He pulled her into a hungry kiss, his hand against the back of her head. It became clear that he didn't want her to leave, but as it turned out, not all good things could last forever.

She made a note to tell him that she planned on taking her gem hunt to the Daurell Caverns, though couldn't be sure when yet. It wouldn't be tonight, as there was no doubt Thage and Cingarus would keep a close eye on her after her mysterious disappearance. For all she knew, it might not even be tomorrow.

"Perhaps it would be wise if I stayed clear for a couple of days, then."

Not that she wanted him to, but perhaps he was right.

He followed her to the outskirts of the city, both in their own, separate vehicles. As she turned into the gate, he would keep driving straight. All the while, she was trying to determine an excuse as to where she had been. There was no way she was going to get back inside without someone asking questions.

"Nyxia!" And sure enough, there it was. "Where the hell have you been!?"

She hadn't even gotten five steps away from the car when her father approached her. "I was hunting," she said. Well, at least that was partially true.

"You've been gone for hours!" he hissed. "I thought you might have been killed!"

"I... I'm sorry. I did get hurt, but...a hunter helped me get on my feet."

"You cannot keep gambling your life with daemons! How can I expect you to be able to find the gem if you keep coming back with injuries?"

"I'm fine, father! I'm not a little girl anymore!" Nyxia hollered. She was fed up with being treated as such, those she understood that any father would feel that much concern for his daughter.

He gave her a stern look before his shoulders fell. There was no swaying her, and he knew that. "At the very least, let me find someone who can help you."

"I have help," Nyxia said. "I have Aranea and Thage to train me."

Cingarus shook his head, his voice raised. "No... you need companionship. Not just training sessions. If you insist on finding your gem, then you will do so by your king's orders."

Nyxia stiffened, not liking the sound of this. Still, she nodded her head.

Cingarus sighed. "I will make an address to our daemon hunters tomorrow. Based on those who volunteer, I will let you choose who will fight with you." Then, he added firmly, "And you _will_ be there."

"Yes, Your Majesty."


	14. Beguiled

Suffice it to say, the address was boring as all hell. Nyxia stood in the throne room beside her father, who had summoned an open gathering of hunters and guards who were willing to do a favor. Once his reasons were clear, and those willing to lay their lives down for the princess's cause were asked to step forward, Nyxia was expected to make her decision.

Orion was one of them, as was Prompto. They were the only familiar faces that she recognized. By default, she wanted to go with someone she knew. Prompto seemed like a nice guy, but she had never seen him in combat. Orion, on the other hand, was quite skilled with a large sword.

Nyxia made her decision, though it was no real surprise that Orion was chosen to be her partner in fighting crime.

A younger man closer to her age than Ardyn probably was, Orion was perfectly capable of looking after her.

After dinner was bedtime, though Nyxia took pleasure in playing her cello in the privacy of her room while she could. She might have even played another instrument afterwards to help lull herself to sleep a little easier.

Hunting with Orion was actually a lot of fun. He made jokes, helped train her at campsites, and when they went shopping at Lestallum for some supplies for the road, he always bought food.

They had been fighting the night's monsters for a week. Steyliff Grove and the Daurell Caverns could be scratched off the list. Tonight, they would go to Costlemark Tower under the light of the full moon. Nyxia's last visit there wasn't very successful, but as it turned out, Nyxia had done a lot of research on her phone for these mysterious doors, which there seemed to be one in every dungeon that she had come across so far.

Fighting the daemons was significantly easier than it had been when she took this venture alone. With Orion at her back as she led the way, she did at least feel safer. He had given her no reason to feel otherwise.

Nyxia and Orion eventually stumbled across the door beyond the room where the naga had gotten the better of the princess.

According to a source online, there was a way to recreate the key for these doors. Clay was needed, which she had found outside of the tower before they entered. She sat herself in front of the door, propped on her knees. Her hands were slightly elevated in front of her, holding the clay as if offering it to the door.

Then, she began to Reflect. Something she didn't do enough of, but it was like a form of meditation, except it allowed greater forces to enter through her. Gods, aeons? Nyxia never fully understood who they were, but if they were helping towards the greater good, she was willing to bet that they were deities of Eos looking to better their world.

There was a warm glow around her, and Orion watched in amazement as a white light was cast around her, even brighter so around her cupped hands.

 _"Locitum suh dolibix estivas,_

Vigis _aran maldifidii a!_

Sular _igira_ estivas

Digas _locitum utzilah digas!"_

She had spent these last few days just staring at the screen to memorize the chant, and as she closed her hands together, the clay was concealed from sight.

The light in the chamber brightened, and then, suddenly, Nyxia gasped. She felt the clay morph in her hands. As she opened them, she saw she now wielded a large key that would fit the door ahead of them.

"Remarkable." Orion came up beside her, and as she cautiously unlocked the door, she stepped back as it would open up on its own.

"No kidding," she murmured, equally amazed by her own achievement. She turned to look at Orion with a thankful smile. "I've never gotten this far, you know. I wouldn't have, if it wasn't for you."

He smiled back down at her. "Anything for Her Highness." A moment passed, as Nyxia was trying to read the look on his face. He looked as though he was admiring her - in a way she had never thought he felt for her.

Then, Orion leaned in. Without even thinking, Nyxia's instinct kicked in. She struck him across the face, though instantly felt bad for doing it.

"That hurt..." he muttered, holding his hand to his face. "What did you do that for?"

"Sorry. I just... don't feel the same."

"Is it someone else?" he demanded. This was a tricky question. If she confessed she was in love with someone else, then he would know she had been sneaking about to see him. Nyxia hesitated.

"Yes."

Orion looked taken aback, but surprisingly, not all as upset as she expected. "Very well. I'm sorry...I shouldn't have."

"It's no big deal. Look, let's just...go. I want to know what's beyond this door." She walked on, finding it too weird to look at Orion. As she passed through the opened passage, however, he asked her a question.

"Do you love him?"

She stopped. She had thought this conversation was over, but as she turned around, her heart felt as if it would jump out through her throat.

Orion no longer stood there. She hardly could believe what she was seeing. Somehow, she knew what this meant, seeing Ardyn standing before her. Either that, or the incantation had caused a strange side effect.

"Ardyn... What are you doing here?" she stammered.

"I'm still waiting for an answer for _my_ question."

"I..." she had been so willing to say it before. Why was it so hard now? Ardyn was putting the pressure on her, and yet... "You already know the answer..."

"I want to hear you say it." He seized her by the arms, his body intensely close to her. And his smell... there was no denying that it was him.

"Yes," she whispered. "I love you."

She wasn't so sure if she had made the right decision in confessing to him. She had thought about him all the time. There was no getting him out of her mind over this past week, even in the midst of combat.

Yet, as he kissed her firmly, Nyxia was beginning to believe the feeling was mutual. "You deserve better." He growled huskily.

"Wait... how long have you been... pretending to be my bodyguard?"

He grinned a bit, as if he had forgotten the point he was trying to make. "I was with you the entire time. I had hoped you wouldn't forget about me. As it turns out, I have nothing to worry about."

"But why?"

"I don't want anyone else dying for you, if it isn't me."

Nyxia stared at him. For a moment, tears threatened her eyes. He loved her. He wouldn't quite come out with it, but that was good enough for her. "If you did die, I would use the gem to bring you back..."

He gave her a slightly amazed look. "Would you?"

"I would do whatever it took. Even if it meant destroying Eos's only chance of escaping the Starscourge."

Ardyn kissed her again, this time a bit more gently than before. Nyxia wished this moment could have lasted an eternity.

"Well, I believe someone still has a mission to see through," he said quietly.

"Yes, well... There's a small problem."

"And what is that, I wonder?" he inquired.

"I've been hot and bothered for a week, and you've been here all this time, leaving me hanging."

"Oh?" He chuckled now. "Shame on me. First haven we find, I promise I'll take good care of you."

She had to admit, it felt strange to explore deeper into the tower with Ardyn in her shadow. She couldn't concentrate. Yet, when the thrill of the fight finally returned, she was dumbfounded to learn something new.

He knew how to warp.

Nyxia only ever knew that those of the Kingsglaive could warp. Clearly, she had been ill-informed. Still, she went along with it as they teamed up on a group of mindflayers.

In a flash of magenta, he taken two of them out in a matter of a minute. Nyxia managed to take one down, using the sickle to tear through it like a knife through butter.

Then, Ardyn was suddenly beside her, yanking her away from the last one that had come up behind her. His hand was gripped tightly around her wrist, and as the wraith swept at nothing but air, Ardyn pulled her back around into a full circle.

As if she knew what he intended, Nyxia swung with the momentum, using her scythe and tearing into the wraith as she finished her 360 degrees.

It caused the daemon to stumble back, and she slashed at it again, lunging it out on a chain and causing it to hook onto the mindflayer in the gut. Then, she yanked hard, finishing it off so that nothing remained but ash around them.

If she thought she got an adrenaline rush just from hunting in general, there was something about doing so with Ardyn that just made it incredibly invigorating.

And she wanted that safe haven now to act upon this feral lust building up inside.

As she was let go and free to stand, Nyxia gave him a look of positive exasperation. Why they hadn't done this more often, she couldn't tell. This was the next best thing to a date, in all fairness.

As they trailed deeper into the dungeons, and narrow corridors would take them lower, Ardyn finally spoke up.

"I hope your cello has been treated well."

"Very much so," she said with a thankful smile. "It keeps me busy when you're not around."

"Many things have kept you busy. You just have a passion for it."

"Not so sure I would use that word to describe it." They had to be ten floors beneath the large door when they came across a safe haven. Nyxia sighed audibly in relief. They had been on the move all day, and finally, it would be nice to get off her feet.

"Should we pitch a tent?" she suggested.

"Hm... I thought you might want to proceed a further ways until the next one." His voice suggested humor.

"I don't appreciate your snarkiness," she said with a smirk, already a step ahead of him as she materialized their necessities for camp.

Ardyn grinned, watching as she pitched the tent. He seemed enticed, and she didn't fail to notice it. "What will you do about it?"

"...Are you staring at my ass?"

"Me?" he inquired casually. He wasn't putting a lot of effort into hiding his perversion. "I haven't any idea what you're talking about."

She finished putting up the tent when she stood back up. She wasn't complaining. In fact, she had every intention to make her move at some point, if he didn't.

For now, however, she played coy. Once they had a couple of chairs and a decent meal in their stomachs, it was time to wind down.

They knew they would be safe here. The area gave off a shield to ward off any daemons, though to be on the safe side, Nyxia had set up protective barriers at the two doorways. There was no such thing as being too careful.

As she returned to the center of the vast, underground chamber, Nyxia placed her hands on his shoulders, giving them a firm rubdown. She heard him rumble in delight, and he relaxed at her touch.

"You have a tendency to be very skilled with your hands." She slid her fingers beneath the layers of his coat and patterned scarf, working closer to the flesh. Again, she got a positive reaction from him.

"You wear too many clothes," she muttered teasingly.

"It keeps me warm."

Not wanting to stop making him feel good, and perhaps hoping to get a few layers off of him, she leaned in to kiss his neck, her cheek tickled slightly by his white, corrugated collar.

"You're such a tease," Ardyn muttered, his head tilting to the side as an invitation for her to continue.

"And you made a promise," she pouted slightly, removing her hands. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

He smirked, grabbing her wrist and yanking her in front of him. "I can assure you. I always keep my promises."


	15. Fever Dream

Spending another, several hours to sleep off her exhaustion, Nyxia eventually woke up to a sharp pain in the shoulder she was sleeping on. As a side sleeper, laying on the ground was the least comfortable. However, first thing she noticed was that Ardyn was not in the tent with her.

Did he ever sleep?

She had already been dressed, save for her shoes. She must have been so tired that she forgot ever putting her clothes back on. Once she got her boots on her feet, she stepped out, noticing the smell of cooked meat as she opened the folds.

Ardyn didn't appear to be anywhere in the chamber, but he had left a couple of slabs of red meat skewered above the open flame. Nyxia yawned, propping a chair closer to the fire to enjoy breakfast.

So, he could cook, too. No wonder she was in love.

Nyxia pulled off one of the skewers, careful not to burn herself as she would take a bite out of it. After about five minutes, she heard a stir of movement behind her.

"Oh, good. You're up."

Nyxia jumped almost out of her chair, not because she hadn't been startled, but because it wasn't Ardyn's voice. It was Orion. Panicked for a moment, she looked at him in surprise, as if she wasn't sure she could believe what she was seeing in front of her.

"Uh... Orion?"

"Sorry. You zonked out after you performed that spell to open the door. I couldn't get you to wake up for anything. So, I made camp."

"I...passed out?"

"Yeah," he stated. "Had to carry you a good ways. You were making a lot of noises in your sleep, too. Bad dream?"

So, she never made any confession to Ardyn? He was never even here? Pummeled by all sorts of emotions - embarrassment, confusion, disappointment - she leaned back in her chair. After they would finish eating breakfast (not that she ate much, as her appetite had been a little dampened by her revelation), they packed up and headed further into the underground.

Their Gem was nowhere to be found, although as they resurfaced into the open, night air, it was decided to return to Curia. It was a long drive back to the city, and seemed even more so with the awkward silence. Orion didn't bring it up, but simply allowed it to pursue.

They returned to the city, and the sight of a burgundy Vixen with white, racing stripes parked in the Stardale Hotel's parking lot made her jump out of her haze. She was probably imagining things again. Nonetheless, her head turned as they drove further away and around the corner.

After they checked in with Cingarus, informing him that they had come up with nothing so far, Nyxia chalked it up to another failure and retired to her bedroom.

Rubia sat on the windowsill, making a soft _mew!_ as the princess came in. The carbuncle came and went as she pleased, but she was always there if needed. Nyxia was surprised to see her lounging around for once.

"Fancy seeing you here," she chimed.

 _"Still no luck, huh?"_

The voice that seemed to come from the creature sounded like a sweet, little girl.

"No." She stepped out onto the balcony with Rubia in her shadow, and as the carbuncle jumped up onto the railing, she followed Nyxia's gaze out towards the lit city.

 _"You've been working so hard. You should treat yourself."_

"Treat myself?" she murmured.

 _"Go see him."_

"Him?" Nyxia's eyes widened slightly. "What... How do you know?"

Rubia's beady eyes lit up, and she even seemed to smile. _"I've been around a long time. I know what an infatuated, young lady looks like."_

She was certain her cheeks were hot with humiliation. "Hey... shut up..."

At this, the carbuncle giggled.

"But... I have no reason to go to a _hotel_."

 _"If he's there, that's reason enough."_

She would just have to locate him. First, she badly needed a shower. The princess inhaled deeply, sucking in some bravery before she would disappear into the bathroom. There was a nice, dining room on the bottom floor open to everyone, not just hotel guests. It was very fine dining with very fine food.

Should she dress up?

 _What to wear, what to wear..._

She never wore dresses, though she kept a few in her wardrobe. Having always preferred a punk-goth style, she felt most comfortable in spandex, leather, fishnet, or vinyl.

Maybe she could make an exception to get out of her comfort zone.

After thoroughly drying her onyx hair and throwing it up in a loose bun, she slipped into a lacey, black dress. The chiffon skirt reached down just enough to cover her thighs, though behind her, trailed almost to the floor.

Nyxia splashed herself with a sweet-scented perfume, caked on some light make-up (which she rarely really did at all), then revealed the final results to Rubia. After all, she was really the only individual she could get an opinion from.

"What do you think?"

Rubia sat up on the bench she had been laying on while Nyxia was freshening up. _"My, you really look like a princess now!"_ she chimed. _"Although maybe princesses hide their knees more."_

"Oh, stop," she huffed. _Not like he hasn't seen a lot more than my knees._ Looking at herself in the floor mirror now, she tugged at her dress a bit. "It's not _that_ bad. It passes the fingertip test." Barely.

The slight chill in the air forced her to throw on a long-sleeved shrug with a hood, and as she took a sneaky detour through the gardens, the breeze blew about the flaring sleeves lightly. Her walk would speed up to a sprint, her heels clicking on the concrete.

It wasn't a far walk, and taking the car would probably draw too much attention to herself. She pulled up her hood at least long enough to avoid being recognized until she got to her destination.

However, to her surprise, a motorcycle that passed by had done a U-turn and then stopped in front of her. "Your Highness, how are you?"

"Oh, Prompto?" Nyxia stuttered for a second. She stopped abruptly, almost on the edge of the sidewalk. "Umm... I'm fine. You?"

"Pretty good. You look like you're heading somewhere important."

"Oh, uh... a date, kind of." Not really, but it was only the first thing that came to mind. Prompto smiled.

"That guy must be very lucky. You're not walking all the way there, are you?"

Prompto had been more than happy to offer her a ride to the hotel, and Nyxia decided saying _'no'_ would only make her feet detest her. He dropped her off at the main entrance, and with a goodbye wave, he zoomed off on the motorbike. Once he was gone, she cast a double-check look towards the parking lot.

The Vixen was still there.

Nyxia smiled and went inside, heading straight for the dining room and lowering her hood only after she had been seated. She hung the shrug on the back of her chair, then took a look at the menu provided for her. Though she was legally able to drink two years ago, she very rarely partook in wine. Stardale was well-known for its delicious wines, though Nyxia never bothered to try it.

Perhaps she would just stick with a usual, orange cream soda.

All the food looked so good. If there was one thing that she loved, it was food. It was hard not to splurge in public, as she never held back at home. It was a wonder her metabolism was able to keep up with her eating habits.

For once, however, she wanted to be reserved. But damnit, that spaghetti dish sounded incredible.

She settled for an appetizer of half a plate of calamari and half of raw oysters. Nyxia was a lover of seafood, above all things. As she waited for her food, she glanced around the room. There weren't many people, but it was late. Most businesses had lost a lot of their clientele during the Starscourge, but Stardale _gained_ business, especially from outsiders looking for a place to take a refuge.

In the background, soft, lounge music played through the speakers about the room, though quiet enough not to interfere with any conversations. It was already pretty quiet in the room, considering there were only three, other parties eating dinner.

She counted exactly seven people, aside from herself and the waiter, Hugo. She continued to wait, engaging herself in looking at the dessert menu. There was no guarantee she would order anything more, but it was very tempting. Chocolate _always_ sounded good.

Finally, Hugo returned with a plate of food, and beside it, he placed a glass with red wine. Nyxia looked up, giving him an uncertain look.

"Um... sir, I don't remember ordering wine?"

The dark-haired waiter smiled, giving her a polite bow. "Indeed. It was from the gentleman across the way."

Nyxia followed the subtle gesture, and her heart quickened as she saw said gentleman sitting several tables away. Ardyn was casually sipping at his own glass, presumably the same thing he had gifted her.

"Oh, thank you," she murmured to the waiter, her face warming up again. Somehow, she hadn't expected it to unfold like this. Should she go over there? Should she have him come over here?

She brought her glass to her lips, inhaling the fruity smell before she would swallow down a small bit. It was definitely a strong flavor, though not necessarily bad. A little bitter, perhaps.

She wondered if he somehow knew she was here, or might have even expected her to show up. Her lips pursed. Somehow, this was more unsettling when he wasn't right by her. It was like silently communicating to each other across the room, just with their eyes.

She had to glance away long enough to partake in an oyster. She swallowed, her tongue curling back in her mouth as the slippery flesh eased down her throat.

Then, she saw that flirtatious grin. She was pretty sure he was thinking the same thing she accidentally started thinking. Very bad thoughts.

She crossed her legs anxiously. She felt a stir between her thighs, followed by this dire need to grind her sex on the cushion of the chair. She resisted, but the strained look on her face probably made it obvious, at least to him.

What was she thinking, ordering an aphrodisiac?

She glanced around to see if anyone might have noticed her discomfort. Luckily, the rest of the eaters seemed busy amongst themselves.

Nyxia downed another sip of wine. She felt this sudden need to just be fucked, and she was beginning to think he might have knowingly done something to trigger that. With no proof to back it up, she bit her bottom lip helplessly. Her thighs squeezed together, the pressure rubbing on her sex just enough to elicit a tiny moan.

She couldn't do it anymore. She left the dining room, trying not to make her exit hurried. Managing to avoid curious eyes on her, she disappeared into the hallway, which was empty.

Bathroom. Where was the bathroom?

She took a moment to locate a directory map - something to answer her question. She went around another corner, her heart rapidly pounding against her chest. She could practically feel the pulse down in her clit, as well as a warm, tingling sensation.

Leaning against the wall, she could almost touch herself right here, if she wasn't so afraid of someone finding her. Any minute, someone would round the corner. She wasn't drunk. This had nothing to do with alcohol, and she at least knew that much. It was solely Ardyn, and the fact that she simply wanted him to fill her and defile her for hours...

She didn't realize until a chime sounded that she was standing by an elevator, and as it opened, a single person stepped out. She acted quickly, disappearing into the elevator after he left. There was no one else in the elevator. Her hand slid between her legs just as the doors started closing. She stifled a moan, her lips slightly parted as her back pressed into the cool, metal wall behind her.

Then, after maybe ten seconds of rubbing herself through the fabric of her undergarments, the doors started opening. Like lightning, she pulled her hand away, but...

He was already in the cubicle with her, clicking a button behind him before the doors would slide shut.

"Ardyn..." she whispered. Her heart couldn't race any faster than it did now, otherwise it might tear a cavity into her chest.

"You didn't need to stop." He slid up to her, his movement fluent as his hands found her waist. Just his gentle caress made her body feel like it was on fire.

Was this really happening right now?

She bit her lip, her cheeks a bright pink. "I have no idea what you're talking about..."

He growled a bit, his hands sneaking around to her backside. In response, she gasped. "It drives me insane when you do that..." He lightly clamped his teeth on her bottom lip, and she couldn't hold herself back from kissing him.

"Over a week..." she groaned against his mouth. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Leaving you hanging, as you so precisely put it."

Nyxia pulled her head back a little, her eyes wide. "What!? I thought that was just a dream..."

"Oh, it was. It's very interesting, what goes on in that devilish mind of yours." He seemed amused, his lips teasing hers.

"You know, then..." She had confessed to him after all, though the mechanics of her dream world still made no sense.

"Mmm. I know _everything_."

Her body quivered a bit, and her tongue danced in her mouth for him. "Then, you know you still have a promise to uphold..."

Ardyn gave her a devious look as the elevator stopped on Floor 12. "Indeed, I do."


	16. Rapture

The twelfth floor was the highest of the building, and it took her little time to find out he had booked a room up here. It was a tidy suite, and even the bed looked untouched, as if he had it set up for her. The sliding door to the balcony was parted open enough to let a comfortable, cool air in.

As the door closed behind them, she felt his hand on the small of her back, and he was leading her towards the bed. She followed the guidance, her body itching for a release.

However, Ardyn was deliberately drawing it out, and she knew it. "How about another glass of wine?"

"I...yes, please." She watched as he would go into the next room, his overcoat billowing casually behind him. He took his time, and again, that stir between her legs distracted her from patience.

She didn't want wine. By the Six, she wanted something inside of her. He had said earlier she didn't have to stop. Was it a show he wanted?

Gods, she couldn't believe she was doing this. If he was going to make her wait, what other option was there? Perhaps it would be titillating for him, too...

She got herself a little more comfortable, one leg hooked upward as she would fondle herself again. She was hesitant, but the feeling was too satisfying to ignore.

Soon, he was walking back into the room, a filled glass of wine to his lips, and he stopped as he watched her over the top of the goblet. She slowed the movement of her hand, her shyness taking over a bit the moment his honey eyes gleamed over her. Ardyn set her designated glass down on the bedside table, his freed hand sliding up along her straightened leg as encouragement.

Her back arched from the metallic-hued bed sheets, her arousal getting in the way of rational thinking. Oddly enough, there was a thrill of him watching her, scary as it was. Her hand slid underneath the silk, playing with herself directly with flesh against flesh. Her fingers were instantly drenched, though they didn't stay there for very long.

He pulled off the silk cloth in one sweep, leaving the cool air to lick at her wet skin. Nyxia shivered a bit, her hand pausing to cover it a bit.

Then, the lower half of his face disappeared between her legs. She cried out, surprise and rapture sneaking up on her at once. His tongue was cold against her sex, likely from the chilled wine, but it warmed within seconds. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Her muscles contracted in all contours of her body. She was moaning uncontrollably, her figure squirming as her lover's mouth suckled at the rose bud in her folds. Her fingers gripped at the sheets, and the small of her back lifted further and further away from the mattress.

There was the sound of the wineglass dropping to the carpet, disposed of as Ardyn put his full focus on her. His tongue encircled her, seeming to take almost as much pleasure in the taste as she did the feeling. If he kept it up like this, it would take her no time to come...

She gasped and whined, her body practically out of control as it gyrated on its own accord. Her head rolled back, her climax fast-approaching. The growing volume of her cries gave it away, and suddenly, he pulled back.

"No..." she gasped out, her body tightening so hard to the point that it was hurting. "Don't stop yet..."

"Don't you worry. I made a promise I would take care of you, yes?" She nodded, biting her lip again. "I never break a promise."

He had something planned, and Nyxia had a feeling she was getting ready to find out exactly what wild fantasies he had in mind for her.

He wasn't exactly rough with her, but as she felt fabric wrap firmly around her wrists, she had a pretty good idea of what he was up to. They were bound above her head, and as he restrained her hands to the head of the bed, she saw they were secured by his red scarf. Her body squirmed in anticipation, desperate to reach that release it was so close to.

"Not... fair..." she grunted.

"Just as you said, it has been over a week." Ardyn lifted the skirt of her dress, exposing her up to her flat stomach. "I'm going to ensure this lasts." He rose from the bed, casually removing some of his outer layers. "You may have thought that I put something in the wine, but believe me when I tell you I didn't." She hadn't truly expected he drugged her. She already understood it was simply the distance that made her feel so needy. "I won't deny how fun it is to watch you in heat."

He was making small-talk, which meant he was taking his time. Nyxia's eyes narrowed slightly at him, rubbing her thighs together again in desperation. "I never knew you could be so cruel," she said with a pout. He crossed the room again, returning with the ice bucket the half-empties bottle of wine was sitting in.

"You might not admit it," he answered, pulling out a single cube of ice, "but I think you enjoy every... little... bit of it."

The bucket was on the table, and as he popped the cube into his mouth, Nyxia went into panic mode. Her body went to shift back, but he had already grabbed her hips and held them in place. Positioned between her thighs again, he created a seal around her wet pearl with his mouth, and the ice cube tickled her skin, sending a startling sensation against it. Her arms tugged hard on the scarf out of reflex. Yet, after a short time, once the shock of the cold faded, her body loosened.

Her sounds of pleasure soon returned at full swing. Her hips couldn't keep from twisting, but he kept her in check, his mouth working at her folds as she would come back to where she had left off.

And come, she did. Her body locked at her peak, then slouched against the bed again as she panted. She heard Ardyn hum in approval, lapping up some of the juice with one, long lick. Her body twitched, then relaxed again.

He hardly gave her time to catch her breath as he yanked down the top part of her dress. His skilled hands teased over her chest, brushing over her hard nipples, which were sensitized by her orgasm.

"Nothing in this world is so delicious," he said suggestively. She shuddered at his caress, her arms a bit sore from the strain on them.

"You'll let me return the favor, right?" she offered.

"In due time. Though that was a treat in and of itself." He unfastened the strap from the bedpost, and though he didn't pull it off of her wrists, it felt loads better just to be able to lower her arms.

Yet, based on his choice of words, Nyxia knew he had plenty more planned for tonight.


	17. Bust-A-Base

As she woke up, Nyxia instantly realized she was not in her own bed, and it only took her a moment to recall last night's rendezvous. Her naked body stretched across the exceptionally comfortable mattress, although she didn't want to get out from under the sheets.

As she sat up, she found herself in the same suite in the hotel, but her lover was nowhere to be seen. On the bedside table, however, was a handwritten note:

 _Return to me tonight._

She smiled sleepily, helping herself to a much needed shower before she would get dressed and leave Stardale. Nyxia felt a soreness in her body - one that was only a positive reminder of her time with Ardyn. She would heal on her own in a couple of hours. She just needed to take it easy.

By the time she had return to the palace, she had already missed the first meal of the day. Her father was probably wondering where she was. Hoping to evade his curiosity, she headed straight to the infirmary. She had spent about an hour with various patients until she heard his calm voice behind her.

"That's a pretty dress."

Nyxia tensed slightly, looking over her shoulder at Cingarus. However, he seemed quite pleasant, and somehow, that made her feel all the more paranoid.

"Thanks, dad."

"Did you have a date?" he inquired. She hesitated to answer, but he merely smiled at her. "It's alright. You are a grown woman. You may be my daughter, but you are not my property."

Nyxia inhaled, her racing heart permitted to quell. She smiled a little, putting away the roll of bandages in her hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I believe it's time to allow you another task," he said, "although it will be perilous."

"Perilous?" Nyxia said with a bright glow in her face. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, more that Thage and I had decided..." he corrected. "You always wanted to see Insomnia when you were little, didn't you?"

Indeed, she had never been to the capitol of Lucis. She had always heard it was a large, beautiful city full of tall buildings and beautiful lights. Sure, it was nothing like that now, but she couldn't just tell her father that her mind was changed because of ruin.

"Of course," she said, turning fully to her father. She was quite curious as to what point he was about to make.

"How would you like to join the Glaives in destroying an imperial base within?"

"Imperial base?" she repeated. "I didn't think the army existed anymore, what with the emperor and high commander gone."

Could it be possible that Ardyn might not have been entirely honest with her?

"We all thought the same, but as it appears, someone still controls the machines. From what the leader of the Kingsglaive has told me, there are five bases."

"The Kingsglaive?" Nyxia repeated in surprise. It would have been an honor to serve beside them, though she wasn't a Glaive, herself. Her cousin, Anastella... she had been a dedicated Glaive, and it had always been something the sorceress wanted to do.

She grinned a little, and even her father could tell she was excited about this opportunity. "Is that a yes?"

"I..." Then, Nyxia hesitated. What if she declined? She hated to think she might disappoint him by saying no. Her duty to her people was more important, wasn't it? To think she might be a disappointment, all because she had given her heart to a potentially forbidden individual.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do it."

Nyxia made preparations to meet with Thage at the front gate in two hours, and they would leave for Galdin Quay. At the docks was a boat waiting for them, as well as a small group of unfamiliar people.

The boat held five people in total. The young person that manned the boat introduced himself as Talcott. Thage was pretty good with socializing with the Glaives, one other woman and a male, while Nyxia remained pretty quiet. Even as the others introduced themselves as Iris and Dave, she wasn't much for conversation, but she was at least polite.

Once they arrived at the outskirts of Insomnia, they were met with a single man who seemed to be a bit older than the rest, though appeared significant in his own way. As soon as Thage shared his name, Nyxia recognized why.

"That's Cor Leonis. He runs the show here. Do exactly what he tells you, and you'll be fine."

Nyxia nodded curtly, albeit nervously.

"You all know why you're here," said the man as he addressed them. "While some of you may not be recognized as Glaives, all of us share one thing in common - our love for this world and mankind. We are each strong individuals who have somehow shown their abilities in one form or another. And it has not gone unnoticed."

Nyxia took in a deep, quiet breath. Hopefully, it would calm her shaking hands a little.

"The operation is simple," Cor went on, his arms crossed over his chest. "We infiltrate the base closest to the gate, and we do so with stealth. One goes in at a time, so we have less of a chance of being spotted."

The instructions were easy enough, like a stealth video game, though Nyxia had never done anything quite like this in real life before. Following such directions precisely under such pressure was pretty unnerving to her, but she tried not to feel so intimidated.

The group walked a ways further towards the capitol, seeing the gate was illuminated in artificial lights and guarded by MT suits that patrolled the area. That was most definitely a base.

Nyxia couldn't recall ever seeing suits before, but she knew that the easiest way to take down any machinery was with either ice or lightning. Already having a tactic in mind, she readied her frosted scythe, simply waiting for the signal to go in.

Cor led the fray, and like a professional, he took down an axeman, driving a katana through its back. He signaled for Dave to come in next, and in a very similar fashion, though with a set of daggers, the hunter did the same to another.

Thage was next to go, and with her large sword readied, she trekked further, sneakily staying out of the spotlight until she would disappear around one of the large containers. There was the sound of metal against metal, and then, a few seconds of silence.

For a moment, the tension in the air was thick. Then, Cor nodded, pointing at Nyxia and then directing her in the same, general direction. She was stiff, for some reason, antsy about moving in. What if she fucked up?

"Hey," Iris said quietly behind her, giving her a reassuring smile, "you can do it."

Nyxia gave her a smile of thanks, encouraged to move forward. She kept low to the ground, crouched and tucked away from the shifting spotlight. She waited for it to move away from her before she would slip by undetected. Then, like Thage, kept her back against the container.

Just a few more paces ahead of Thage was another suit. They looked kind of creepy, being lifeless suits with weapons in their hands.

She snuck up to the next container, staying just out of sight around the corner as the suit approached in march. It was the only one in sight, but just in case...

Nyxia extended the scythe, snatching the suit with the blade and throwing it to the ground right by her feet. Then, in a fluent sweep, she took off its head from its shoulders.

 _Nice!_

She looked back at Thage, who was grinning and giving her a thumb up. She was feeling pretty good through the rest of the mission. Once they had reached the heart of the base, they had taken out two, large armors as a team.

After that, the coast was clear, and the rush of adrenaline that followed was amazing! Nyxia was in much better spirits about the situation as they destroyed the remaining machinery, making the base completely inoperable before they would leave it behind.

"Good job, all of you," Cor praised casually. Iris seemed a lot more excited about the situation than the others, more talkative as they returned to Talcott and the boat. Cor, however, stayed behind.

Even Nyxia was more open to conversation than before. She was more comfortable conversing with Iris, who acted a little younger than she looked, but it was obvious she knew when to get serious.

"How long have you been doing this? Nyxia asked her as they sat beside each other on the bench.

"Busting bases? This is kind of newer for me, but I've been fighting daemons with Gladio for a good while now. Although recently I've been flying solo. Big brothers tend to get a little possessive sometimes."

"Gladio," Nyxia murmured, then, the name struck a cord. "Oh, Gladiolus? I think I've met your brother before."

"Yeah," Iris said brightly. "He said he had volunteered as one of the guards for your birthday celebration. Our dad used to be really good friends with yours, so he felt obligated, I guess?"

"Oh, well, I appreciate him for that." The princess smiled. Soon, the coast of Galdin Quay was within view, though it was dull and depressing to look at.

One day, perhaps, it would return to its former glory.


	18. Chaotic

Nyxia found herself returning to Curia a lot later than she planned, and the moment she met that realization, her stomach did a backflip. Ardyn was waiting for her to return to the hotel room, and she had just helped take down an imperial base.

He didn't have to know, did he? Besides, he had been insisting he wasn't the bad guy, so what did she have to worry about?

She sighed, not bothering to change her clothes. She told Thage she was going to get some food, and was excused to be on her own. As she sprinted to Stardale hotel, she took a moment to recall which room he was in. Top floor. It couldn't be missed. As the elevator took her up, the ascension seemed to last forever. She tapped her boot impatiently.

Finally, she approached the door, giving it three knocks before she would wait. A few moments passed, stretching out into a longer window of silence. Then, she raised her hand to knock again, only for the door to open just in time. It only parted from the threshold by about two inches, but reluctantly, Nyxia accepted it as an invitation.

She stepped inside, and as she took a brief look around, she saw Ardyn sitting in an ornate armchair, partially turned towards the door as if he had been waiting for.

Somehow, something didn't feel right.

"Sorry I'm late."

"You're very late," he said matter-of-factly.

"Fashionably late, I hope." She put on a cheeky smile, but somehow, Ardyn's smirk looked less than amused - almost sarcastic.

He knew, and the behavior revolving his revelation was screaming bad things to her.

Like, it was time to leave.

"I'm faced with a dilemma," Ardyn suddenly said, his voice frighteningly calm. "What is a man to do when his precious pet can't be tamed?"

"Pet?" she hesitated, taking a step back. Except, there was a side table preventing her from going back any further. Her heart raced into a panic.

"Don't play naive, because I know you're too smart for that." He lifted his hand casually, crooking his finger inward. It was a gesture to summon her.

Fastidiously, she moved forward, each step feeling heavier than the last. Then, he grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her towards him so she could only collapse to the floor beside the chair.

She was scared, and as he looked down at her, he seemed to pause. "I was afraid something terrible might have happened to you." His voice was strangely soft, but somehow, she doubted him. She wanted to question him, but testing his temper was not something she was willing to chance.

She suddenly felt his hand in her hair, pulling back her head by the roots. It didn't hurt really, but it may have, had he used any more force. She gasped a little, her eyes staring straight up at the ceiling.

Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew she should have been asking important questions. Were those imperial bases erected because of him? She tried to think of who else could be responsible, but her judgment was hazed by her growing desire.

"Ardyn...?"

"Let us forget Insomnia for now." These words only made her heart sink all the more. He knew exactly what she had done, and his tone suggested everything she feared.

What more, she couldn't determine his face, whether he was angry about what she had done or concerned that she might have gotten hurt.

"You said you could change..." she said. "Why did you build those bases, then?"

"I made Insomnia my home a long time ago. How else can I protect myself?"

"And what is it that you need protection from? The Glaives?"

"They will never understand. I tried to do good for this world, and I have only been punished for it."

She didn't understand, but she found herself feeling sorry, nonetheless. He had been doing good by her, at least. Shouldn't that be enough? He loved her, and she loved him. Regardless of his affiliation to Niflheim, none of that should change.

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done it, if my father hadn't given me the order."

She heard only silence, then... "Of course, he did. He only wants what is best for this world, too. Don't we all?"

"Ardyn, you're hurting me..."

Suddenly, he released her. It was almost as if he wasn't even aware of what he was doing until that moment. "I'm sorry. It was never my intention..."

She knew he would never deliberately hurt her. She probably just panicked when she first came in and already convinced herself that he was angry with her before she even came into the room.

"I know," she breathed. Ardyn loosened his grip on her wrist, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it. It didn't seem lustful so much as it did affectionate. "I just want you to understand, I'm still a princess... I have to do what is good for my people."

Ardyn looked at her, tracing a smile over the back of her hand. "You'll make a fine queen, one day." Nyxia sighed softly, and he gave her a curious glance. "It isn't the ideal future you had in mind, is it?"

"Not exactly," she murmured. "I hate politics, and I just want the impossible."

"What would that be?"

"I just want to make everyone happy."

His eyes scouted her for a moment. Nyxia never had a complaint about what she currently did for the kingdom. She was a healer, and that in itself gave her name light. However, she frequently watched her father try to come to agreements with all sides, and it was a struggle. Just because of humankind's nature to be greedy and unforgiving, some factions just couldn't stand to see others succeed.

"Impossible, indeed."

World peace was a preposterous thing to ask for, or even to strive towards. Nyxia knew when her time came to rule over Curia, this hard truth would constantly come to haunt her.

"My inquiry is... Are _you_ happy?" As he posed this question, he pulled her gently upward, allowing her to stand in front of him.

That was a hard question. "I've lived nine years in darkness, so far. I can't even remember my last moments in the sun." Then, she reached her hands up to his violaceous hair, brushing the strands back with gentle fingers. "For a long time, I wasn't exactly happy. Then, you came along..."

"Likewise." His hands rode up her back, the material of his gloves causing her tank top to lift up. She felt his lips brush over her belly, and she couldn't help but shudder.

She felt his lips tease her as they trailed lower, lingering just above the hem of her pants. She inhaled, waiting for him to undress her. Yet, he seemed to be stalling, as if he was also waiting.

She tested the waters by removing his topmost threads. He always wore so many layers, hiding his toned body beneath. He seemed accepting, so far, even as her hands grazed beneath his white, corrugated tunic. They squeezed his shoulders and stroked his back, and as his head inclined up towards her, she took the opportunity to kiss him. She felt his hands guide her, pulling her down on top of him to have her straddle him.

There was no rush to make love, but it felt good just to feel his body heat against hers, to feel his hands course along her back. Feeling desired was one thing, but it was another thing entirely to feel cherished, like his world would fall into chaos if it wasn't for her.

She could say that for Ardyn, even if in a way, their relationship did tend to be its own breed of chaos.


	19. Ray of Light

Cingarus had always been the sort to see light even in the darkest of times. Every year, two months after his daughter's birthday, he would throw a festival in honor of Six Astrals and their protection. Many believed doing so would help keep the peace among men, and the Gods would one day bring light back to Eos. Maybe it would come in the form of a returned, Chosen King. Maybe a Curian princess would rise to destroy the darkness.

Maybe The Six had something else planned entirely. How could anyone be sure?

The Festival of the Hexatheon took over the course of six days, each one to be designated to an Astral. Having noticed his daughter's lack of attendance in the palace lately, he insisted that she would be present during the entire festival.

During the celebration of The Archaean, stone balancing and rock painting were big activities that seemed to be equally favored by the adults as it was among children. Along the cleared walkways of Curia, art tables were set up for attendants to create artwork with rocks.

One child even painted a stone just for Nyxia and gave it to her, which warmed her heart more than she could express. When the small, blue pebble with an intricately painted flower was put in her hands, the princess gave the small girl a kiss on the top of her head and thanked her.

"I don't think that kid could be any happier," came a low voice behind her. As Nyxia turned, she was momentarily surprised to see a familiar face from the Kingsguard.

"Gladiolus, it's good to see you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness," he gave her a bow, his hand in a fist to his chest and elbow straight out. "Orion asked me to keep an eye on you. He had an important errand to run."

"Oh, that's alright. You don't have to, if you'd rather enjoy the festivities." To be honest, she felt silly that anyone thought she needed protection.

Then again, she had proven several times that she did need it more times than not.

"Sorry, Your Highness, but I think I'd rather not get in trouble with your father. If he finds out I ditched you, who knows what he might do to me." As he straightened, Gladiolus walked with her down the sidewalk.

Nyxia smiled a little, deciding it was best not to push her old man's buttons, then. "He mentioned that he was close friends with your father."

"He may have been the Shield to King Regis, but he would have broken a few bones for the King of Curia, too. A lot of people tend to overlook Curia as an ally of Insomnia."

Nyxia was merely a child when Insomnia fell under the attack of the Empire, but her father provided everything he could during the search and rescue effort, even if his primary hope was to retrieve his sister's daughter. Ultimately, Anastella was one of the many casualties that he had regretted not being able to prevent

Speaking of family... "I met your sister, by the way. She's really sweet."

"Yeah. Iris mentioned you kicked some serious butt at the base. Uh... My apologies for being so informal, Your Highness."

"It's cool. You can call me Nyxia. It's honestly kind of weird being addressed like a princess all the time."

"Only if you call me Gladio. I'm cool with getting all those formalities out of the way." He glanced at a kiosk full of kids that seemed to be arguing over a single bottle of red paint. "This your sort of thing?"

"Me?" she scoffed. "No. If I tried to draw a sun it would look like a chocobo turd." She smiled, rolling the painted pebble in her hand that had been gifted to her. "But it's fun to watch them do it, you know?"

She had never been artistically skilled, save for playing her stringed instrument.

From another table, she took an extra, red bottle and brought it over to the feud. "Here. Play nice, everyone." Again, they would walk on, and she became more curious as she watched various people planting seeds in little, terra cotta pots. Others were digging holes into barren soil to fill it with flowers, giving life to Curian ground.

"I'm no good at that, either," she said with a chuckle.

"Don't feel bad. There's more important skills to be good at, like healing the hurt. A lot of people are alive and well because of you, you know."

She smiled. It was nice to hear that from a person who hadn't actually taken a step into the infirmary for her help. "Thanks, Gladio."

Music rang through the illuminated streets, and the energy coming from many of the attendants was eminent. Nyxia would occasionally pat her hands on her thighs to the beat of the tunes, and though her escort seemed more interested in food and sights, they were both kept entertained for a couple of hours in each other's company.

Nyxia eventually would make her way in the direction of the palace, the music quieting as they neared her home. "I should head inside," she said. "Fireworks will be starting soon."

Rubia tended to get a little anxious about explosive sounds, so Nyxia promised the carbuncle she would keep her company, and they would watch them together from the balcony.

Once she had returned to her room, Nyxia found the fox-like creature curled up at the foot of the bed, though she wasn't asleep.

 _"It's so noisy out there."_

"Just wait. You get five more days of this nonstop."

 _"Do we at least get to sleep?"_

"If you can deal with the music going all night."

Rubia didn't seem too pleased by this. Why couldn't they put the festivities on hold at sleepytime? Nonetheless, she joined her on the balcony. As the red carbuncle perched on the stone railing, Nyxia remained standing, watching as the skies would ignite in an explosion of vibrant lights and colors. Rubia made a sound of displeasure at first, but no one could deny it was a beautiful sight.

The festivities were consistent into the hours of the next day. After all, with monotonous night hovering over Eos, sleep would only come to those who decided it was time, and to the few who could shut out the ruckus. Some went on as long as they could during the festival to experience as much as they could. There was so much food and activities that it required many hours to see all of it.

The Celebration of the Fulgurian roared on throughout the next day, though during this, Nyxia spent most of the day within the palace. She was in the infirmary, tending to a couple of visitors in need when she felt another enter the room.

"Good afternoon, Nyxia. You remember Ignis, don't you?"

The mage, who was in the middle of wrapping a sleeping man's leg in a bandage, glanced over her shoulder to see her father standing beside Ignis Scientia. It seemed the Kingsguard was really keen on visiting her lately.

"Hello," she said with a smile, though he didn't seem visibly injured. Why had he come here, then?

"Your Highness, it took an amount of persuasion for me to come here, but as it seems, I have nothing to lose by simply making an inquiry."

"What can I do for you, Ignis?"

He didn't answer right away, but Nyxia was starting to think she knew. She looked at her father, who simply nodded before he would leave the room.

"You want to know if I can fix your blindness."

The brief window of silence that followed confirmed her suspicions. Then, he replied.

"Indeed."

She approached him slowly, not wanting to startle him as she would examine the scarring around his eyes. This wasn't ordinary blindness. Dark magic was the cause of this, and it all but burned his eyes completely.

"I'll be completely honest with you, I've never treated this level of blindness before. But I have heard it can be done. Only, it requires very rare materials. If you'll give me some time to work out the details, I'll see what I can do."

"Any effort you put to this task would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course, Ignis."

It would definitely be a challenge, but nonetheless, a learning experience.


	20. Dancing With Fire

On the third day, the festivities revolved around celebrating the goddess of the seas. Nyxia spent most of the day consulting numerous books within the study, reading paragraphs upon paragraphs on ailments inflicted by powerful, dark magic. The Ring of Lucis had many written texts about it, but nothing that seemed to suggest there were any cures for the damage it inflicted on those who wrongfully used it.

So far, however, she had no luck. Deciding she needed to escape the library and clear her head, she walked out onto a balcony branching from it, lured out by the sound of the fireworks. She had missed them last night, unable to stay awake for them. Tonight, however, she witnessed beautiful shades of blue and purple above Curia, some of them mimicking a waterfall across the skies.

As she did, however, she swore she could feel eyes on her, and the hair on her arms raised slightly. As she took her gaze away from the show to look around, it took her a few minutes to realize that it came from the streets below.

Her voyeur wore a dark, gray fedora, but the violet hair about his shoulders and his prominent attire couldn't be mistaken. From an alley, almost shrouded in darkness, she was certain Ardyn was examining her.

She wanted to go to him, but she knew that Orion and Thage both had been keeping a close watch on her to ensure she wasn't running off.

She closed her eyes, sighing softly. She hadn't seen him for almost a week, and this confinement was starting to take a toll on her.

As she opened her eyes, she found he was gone. Nyxia wondered if maybe he had been an illusion. More importantly, how could she get to him?

The next day consisted of sleep and books, perhaps both entwined. Nyxia found herself dozing off in the palace's study, if not frequently distracted by the celebratory sounds coming from outside. While the partygoers basked in the greatness of Shiva, and then Bahamut, Nyxia felt inclined to keep searching for answers and to test potions. Yet, nothing seemed promising.

By the morning of the last day, Nyxia was feeling stir-crazy. She pleaded with Thage to let her have this one day. The Celebration of The Infernian had always been her personal favorite. Each year, she would perform a fire dance - something she took pride in, though her father was less than pleased to see his daughter in scant clothes, even if it was in honor to Ifrit.

"Okay, okay," Thage finally gave in. "You've been cooped up almost the entire time. Just do it away from the palace. I think your father would kill me if he found out."

"If he does, just tell him I knocked you out."

"As if you could," Thage scoffed, but the woman was grinning as her princess scurried off. It wasn't even the performance that got her adrenaline going; it was just the thought of knowing that somewhere, somehow, she would cross paths with him. She had every intention of it.

As she scouted the streets in a black, hooded jacket, she came across fire eaters and others who did various performances with the element. There were a lot of controlled fires where food was cooked, and the smells that filled the air, along with the energy, tended to make this day the most memorable.

She watched a woman with a fire hoop, dancing and doing tricks with it as she stood on an elevated platform. It got her motivated, and her adrenaline started pumping more as she would locate a clearing further down the street. The music helped her find a rhythm, her hips swaying to the live percussions. Then, a pair of large fans would materialize in her hands, the tips of them alight with yellow flame.

Nyxia started off subtle, twirling the instruments through the air. Then, as the musicians improvised to coordinate with her, the music started to pick up. Fire danced around her and with her, as if in a duet, and before long, she could feel the warmth tickling her skin to the point that it would draw sweat.

In time, the fans would fold shut with a whip of her hand, and in the blink of an eye, she was swinging fiery weights on a string. Some watchers gasped in awe, while others seemed constantly in panic that she was going to make a mistake. However, as a sorceress that worked with fire spells on a regular basis, she knew exactly what she was doing.

She went on for what seemed like five minutes or so before the song would come to its conclusion, making its ending obvious so that she knew when to cease. Her hood still up, she smiled to them before she would walk away, giving a wave to the applauding crowd, a couple of which consisted of cat calling and whistles.

Nyxia took a detour that would help her escape the males that seemed adamant on being perverted, though she wouldn't condemn them for it. She had her thrill for attention, much as she did every year she did this.

Yet, as she moved swiftly down one of the more quieter side streets, she was suddenly pulled into an alleyway by a firm hand.

"Hey! Get your hands off-"

She was interrupted as lips clashed into hers, and it wasn't until her head cleared that she managed to detect that familiar cologne underneath all the other aromas coming from cooked meats and fire.

She moaned a little, welcoming a stone wall against her back as Ardyn swept her into the darkness. She clutched at his overcoat, pulling him further in as the kiss grew more hungry and hot.

"Sorry... What was that you were saying?" he purred.

Nyxia licked her lips absently, faintly smiling. "Well, I was going to call you a creep, but... magically, I've changed my mind."

"You ought to be careful when you're wandering at night. Someone could sweep you up and do terrible things to you."

"Ardyn..." she said quietly, as if she was mockingly scolding him. "Don't threaten me with a good time."

He smirked at her, his hands effortlessly pulling her up from the ground, positioning himself between her legs as he would pin her harder into the side of the building. "If you keep tempting me, I might have to take you right here."

Nyxia's adrenaline was at such an intensity right now, she didn't care how much this would escalate. She only knew that she had missed him, and she needed him as if he was oxygen. She delivered a lustful whisper against his ear. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

She had chosen her words well. As she knew too well, he made it a point to keep his promises. Even as he removed his hat, it was too dark to see his expression, but his movement that followed suggested he was sealing the deal. Beneath her long jacket, she wore a short skirt that easily rode up to her waist. The thin cotton that kept him from claiming her was simply pulled aside. Nyxia fought to keep quiet as he buried himself into her, and though they were hidden deep in the alley, it wasn't impossible for them to get caught.

Her entire body clenched in ecstasy as he thrusted, his hands holding her up by her backside. She hadn't realized until now how hungry her body had been for the sex. She strained to keep her moans to a minimum, her fingers finding their way under Ardyn's shirt to tear at his shoulders. He only seemed more enticed, even as he hissed at what she could only imagine might have been a little pain, only overridden by extreme pleasure.

As the volume of her sounds of delight seemed to get higher, one of his hands clutched at her throat, and his movements ceased momentarily. "Shhh..." It was as if he was testing her now. Even that gesture alone was far too sensual to take seriously. Though his grip on her neck did help...and it drove her absolutely carnal.

Her breathing was heavy and jagged as he continued to thrust her into the brick wall. She wanted so desperately to scream in pleasure, though the tightening squeeze on her throat held her back, limiting her to gasps and whispers.

"Harder..." she begged, her grip tightening on his shoulders. He accommodated, forcing her body to bounce so vigorously that her hood had fallen from atop her head. A strained moan fought against Ardyn's grasp, and even he couldn't hold back his own forever. Nyxia leaned in, burying her face against the crook of his neck to muffle her cries. Yet, as her lover regrouped, he pushed her head back against the wall, the pressure on her neck hard as he restricted her. The brutal behavior didn't scare her. It only brought her that much closer to reaching her climax, and as soon as she did, he vigorously kissed her, blocking her cry from reaching past the alleyway. As her body weakened from the orgasm, he would keep going until he had his release, as well. She felt lightheaded, her body twitching from the overwhelmed sensors going off inside of her.

After they had recovered from the strenuous sex, he escorted her back to the palace. They used the back streets so as to avoid detection, and they would slip through the gardens rather than the front entrance.

Funny, how this was where it all began.

"Seeing as I can't be sure how long it will be before I see you again..." From the inside pocket of his coat, he drew out what appeared to be a chain with red gems on it. Once the light of the gardens caught it, she realized that it was quite familiar.

"Where did you get that?"

"It was crafted by a skilled artisan - one that may have let slip that a special princess's eyes lit up when she tried it on."

Nyxia eyed him in disbelief, though as he secured the clasp against the back of her neck, she couldn't help but ask what was on her mind.

"Were you, by chance, this supposed skilled artisan?" After all, she had learned recently that he was an exceptional master of disguise.

Ardyn mocked offense. "Why, most certainly not!" If that wasn't a dead giveaway, she didn't know what was.

Nyxia grinned slightly. Though she didn't like this sneaky behavior of his, she'd let it slide this one time.


	21. Ultimatum

She was feeling weightless throughout the next day as she worked the infirmary. She had been surprised to hear that Orion would be making the supply trip to Lestallum today, and she feared that maybe her father had caught onto her stealthy behavior.

She spent some of her time in the study after lunch, though she was surprised when she received a visit from the king.

"Good afternoon, my daughter. How is the research going?"

Nyxia had handwritten notes and piles of books stacked in front of her. One might have thought she was a scientist going mad, trying to collect too much information at a time.

"Well, I've made some progress, but any results I've come up with still don't seem right." She sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm certain that Ignis is a patient soul. He'll wait as long as he needs. But please, don't overwork yourself. You have your own well-being to take care of, as well."

"Thanks, dad."

He then paused, his eyes casting down a bit. "Did someone give you that necklace?" he asked. Inside, Nyxia panicked. She had completely forgotten to take it off. Her father knew too well she wasn't one to commonly wear jewelry.

"Just an admirer," she murmured.

"Or your date from last week?" he asked curiously. Nyxia remained silent, too thrown by surprise to come up with a clever answer. "While I do understand you're an adult and perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, if there's a man out there who is interested in my daughter, I should be introduced to him. Don't you agree?"

 _Yes,_ _dad. I really think you should meet my boyfriend._ _Imperial Chancellor, Ardyn Izunia. You'd really like him._

Not.

"I'll see when he's available next, dad."

She needed to play her cards carefully. She couldn't exactly see Ardyn whenever she wanted. It seemed like he came and went as he pleased, and the more Nyxia thought about it, the more she truly believed that imperial business kept him away from her. Maybe she was young and gullible, but of this, she was certain. Still, she adored him, and though it sickened her to think about loving a man who was partially responsible for the fall of Insomnia, as well as the death of so many people (including her cousin), she still wanted to see the best in him.

After all, he was still human, just like the soldiers of Niflheim who had managed to take sides with the Glaives.

She was a poor excuse of a Curian princess. What had Anastella sacrificed herself for? Certainly not for Nyxia to fool around with the enemy. After all, there was solid proof in Insomnia right now that Ardyn's alliances were against the Glaives. He had insisted that they were "punishing him", and they would always see him as the bad guy, no matter what.

They didn't see him like she did. They had never seen the gleam of compassion in his eyes. They had never heard him confess how he would put his life on the line for someone he cared for, and they never saw him actually do it.

Nyxia witnessed it all. She struggled day and night over these thoughts. Finally, she confronted the only individual she could trust with this information.

After three days and three nights of battling uncertainty, she sat with Rubia in her room. "I know you're not supposed to be a guardian of love or anything like that, but...I don't know who else to ask. What should I do?"

 _"First and foremost, you are the princess of Curia, yes?"_

"I am."

 _"Then, your duty is to your people. Not to yourself or your heart."_

Nyxia remained quiet. She wasn't exactly expecting that, but the carbuncle wasn't exactly wrong.

 _"You have lived so much of your life wanting to be like Lady Lunafreya. She was in love, too, and at that, she was in love with a good guy. But she still put the health of the world before all of that."_ Nyxia closed her eyes. She didn't want to say it out loud, but Rubia was absolutely right. How could she have been so selfish? Lunafreya Nox Fleuret had been the complete opposite. She loved the world and everything in it, and in the end, she sacrificed herself for the greater good, washed away by the wrathful waves of Leviathan.

She felt the push of tears wanting to come forth, but she fought them back.

"Are you saying I should leave him?"

 _"I'm saying you should right the wrong...before it's too late."_

Nyxia found it hard to come to terms with the fact that she had been making a terrible mistake all of this time. Deep inside, she thought maybe she always knew it. Her naive, teenage heart just didn't want to believe it.

She would never know love like this again. Ardyn meant well for her, and she had to turn him away to put her duties as princess first.

Would he understand?

Nyxia couldn't begin to imagine how he would handle it. After all, he had been gone for almost a week now. She had made her decision, and yet it continued to weigh down on her as long as she couldn't find that closure.

Instead, she tried to make due by finding distractions. She ran errands - a lot of them, and she had convinced her father that she was ready to dedicate herself to Eos, not a man in some silly girl's fantasy.

Her father supported her in her decision, entrusting her and Thage with another mission, this time to Tenebrae, where they had been assigned a hunt for daemons. There were no Glaives to accompany them this time around, but they seemed confident that they would be successful, nonetheless.

However, with Thage leading the way, Nyxia found her skin crawling more and more with every step she took deeper into the ruined city. Wraiths weren't far from here, and by now, she had grown quite accustomed to their presence.

The ruins of Fenestala Manor consisted of empty, unfurnished halls covered in ash and decay. It was the perfect haven for daemons, and it was no wonder they had been sent here. Tenebrae was once a flourishing nation - where Lunafreya and her family once resided. It was terrible to see the outcome of Niflheim's influence here, too.

As they passed through the numerous chambers, Nyxia had her sickle at the ready. Then, from the darkness came a wisp of movement, snatching the weapon from her hand and running off with it.

"Hey!" she yelled angrily. "Get back here!"

She was already running after the goblin when she heard Thage calling after her. The corridors branched off in so many directions, it was hard not to get lost. As she followed the daemon's trail to the topmost tower of the castle, Nyxia forced herself not to look down. She used a spell, casting fire at the imp in hopes of hitting it. The ball of flame missed, only causing the stone wall that it hit to crumble.

She had to be careful, otherwise she might take down this whole estate.

Nyxia examined her jump before she would make it, trailing after the mischievous goblin as it would continue to avoid her. She jumped onto the balcony, given better footing as she would charge at it again. It was far too fast, and using spells was too much of a risk.

As the goblin leapt away from her, it shot out a ball of fire back at her feet, and Nyxia cried out suddenly. The walkway beneath her shattered apart, leaving her with nowhere to stand. She tried to run back, but the balcony only continued to crumble beneath her until she would fall. Her back slammed into the sloped roof of a tower, and she slid downward. She desperately tried to grab onto something - anything. Then, her backside slid off the edge.

She screamed, then, a hand grabbed onto her wrist from inside the tower. Finally, Thage had found her...

Except, it wasn't the guardswoman at all.

Her fingers grabbed for his wrist, and as he began to pull her up, all Nyxia could think about was how Ardyn had always been there to help her. He knew when she was in danger, and he was always there in an instant.

"I have you," he said. The tower shook, causing Nyxia to lose her footing as she tried to climb the stone.

"Don't let go," she pleaded in panic. Again, he would pull her, and as she reached the ledge to be pulled inside, she stumbled into his arms.

"I would never let you go," he whispered into her hair. Her heart fluttered. How was she supposed to do what was expected of her when he said things like that?

Again, tower shifted. Nyxia staggered, following as Ardyn would pull her down the stairs. The entire section of the castle was collapsing around them. Even the steps beneath their feet broke apart.

Suddenly, Nyxia tripped, twisting her ankle on a support beam. She cried out in pain, realizing she couldn't put any weight on it without losing her balance.

Before she could fully recognize that her ankle was broken, Ardyn swept her off her feet and carried her further down. The walls fell around them, crumbling to the earth as they made their descent.

Then, she was all but shoved towards the open hallway, and she fell to the floor. Behind her, rubble fell in a loud heap of dust and debris, and she panicked as she looked back to the blocked stairwell.

 _"Ardyn!"_ she cried out. Only silence responded, and as she crawled towards the pile of fallen stone, she was trying to pull the boulders away. If he was buried in there, she had to get him out.

"No..." she choked, trying to pull herself together. "No, no... you can't do this to me now..."

"Nyxia?" came Thage's voice from beyond, but the princess was still determined to unearth her rescuer. Ahead of her, however, floating in the chasm left behind as the tower had opened up, were two wraiths.

Nyxia growled in pain, summoning her staff from the void as she would use ice spells to try and defend herself. Even as she was sprawled on the floor, she tried to fend them off.

Even still, they began to suck the life out of her, their presence enough to make her feel incredibly exhausted.

Thage, who had somehow managed to retrieve her princess's weapon, hurried up beside her, scooping her into her arms before she would retreat. However, Nyxia protested violently. "NO!" she screamed out, and as she nearly escaped the large woman's grasp, landing on the ground only caused her an immense amount of pain as she landed on her wounded foot. She collapsed in tears, and again, Thage picked her back up. They escaped the castle, and with Tenebrae left in more disarray, Nyxia felt all shades of defeat as she was put in the passenger side of the car. As Thage drove them to safety, Nyxia felt too weakened to stay awake any longer.


	22. End of Days

As she awoke in the sanctuary of her own bed, Nyxia was certain it all had to be a bad dream. She looked around the room to see no one was there with her, but as she moved to climb out of the bed, an excruciating shot of pain filled her right foot, and she instantly fell to the floor.

"Shit," she winced, and soon, much worse was hurting. Her heart felt split in two.

Ardyn was gone, wasn't he?

Tears welled in her eyes, and as a brush of a cold, wet nose nudged her hand, she only curled up on the bedroom floor.

"No, Rubia," she said, her voice quiet and trembling. "I think right now, I just need to feel pain like everybody else."

The carbuncle was silent before she nodded. It seemed that she was unable to conjure up any words of comfort. Right now, comfort wasn't what Nyxia wanted. All she wanted was to see him again, to tell him that he had meant everything to her. How could she have ever considered just leaving him behind?

Now, she had no choice but to move on without him. Nyxia cried, her muscles hurting from the sobs she fought to keep quiet. Eventually, her father had come in to check on her only to find her asleep on the floor. As he put her back into the bed, she stirred.

"I'm sorry, Nyxia... I never should have sent you to Tenebrae."

The blanket was placed over her, but she said nothing, too incoherent to really conjure words. By the dark afternoon, Orion had crutches for her to use in order to get around.

She hadn't the energy to do anything, and while no one else insisted that she make herself useful, she felt she needed to, even if just to distract herself.

As she was in the infirmary, she was a bit of a klutz. She had dropped a bottle of expensive medicine, and it was a struggle just to try and clean up the mess.

"Here, let me help," came a familiar, friendly voice from beside her. It was Prompto.

"Oh, thank you..." she said, though she felt helpless.

"I came to see how you were doing," he said, leaning down to pick up the spilled bottle. "You just can't stay off your feet, huh?"

"People need my help. I'll be fine."

Prompto gave her a look of concern, then smiled. "You don't have to pretend to be tough around me. I know it isn't easy."

Nyxia smiled faintly, sitting on one of the empty beds. It was just the two of them here, so speaking her mind seemed to come naturally.

"I don't even remember what the world looked like before the Long Night anymore," she said, bowing her head. "I feel like I don't even know what to fight for, or what to believe in."

He looked at her for a moment, using his foot on a towel to clean up the spill. The strong smell of the alcoholic medicine was potent in the air.

"A lot of people may have lost hope," he said, "but not me. Not Gladio, not Ignis." He was silent for a moment, then he drew out a small pouch from his shoulder. He dug in it for a moment before he would pull out a picture, then handed it to her.

"Here, take this."

It was Galdin Quay in its former glory, bathing in sunlight. This was what she wanted to return to the world, and the picture, though it consisted of him and his friends, Ignis, Gladio, and Noctis, it helped her realize there were things more important than fleeting desires and broken hearts.

"Do you think he'll come back?" she asked, eyeing the once Prince Noctis in the photo. He seemed like a fun guy to be around, one with a style of fashion and spunk somewhat like hers. He almost could have been the brother she never had.

"I know it," Prompto insisted. Then, suddenly, he hugged her. Nyxia couldn't explain why she felt so comforted by it, but she welcomed the embrace, putting her arms around him.

"One day," she said quietly. "One day, we'll see the sun shine again."

Even if Noctis was still missing for these long, eight and a half years, she wouldn't give up on what she needed to.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Even after she recovered, when Nyxia wasn't honing her medicinal and magic skills, she was training with the Glaives and helping collect meteorshards to help power outposts such as Lestallum and Galdin Quay. Her sole meaning of living now became fighting for the Light.

She kept in touch regularly with the Kingsguard, especially Prompto, who had become her best friend. On occasion, she would talk to Ignis, keeping him informed on her progress of finding a cure for the blindness.

Gladiolus she talked to less frequently, but she had become good friends with his sister, who she teamed up with a lot during missions.

Time healed all wounds, and so did friendship. She hadn't really made any friends when Eternal Night shrouded Eos. Now, she kept the ones she had close to her.

One night, however, she had heard some of the Glaives would be going to Angelgard, chosen particularly to help return their Chosen King to them.

Nyxia remained within the palace gardens as she watched the skies turn red. There was no telling what was happening on that island, only that the Astrals were at hand, and it was far too dangerous for a Curian princess to get involved.

Chances are, not many Glaives would survive, and that was even if they were successful. Nyxia had done all she could. Now, all she could do was pray that the Chosen King would return.


	23. The Art of Dying

She had returned to her room as the skies turned black again. No one seemed certain as to what was going on. Even as she asked Prompto what it meant, he only knew what they all _wanted_ to come out of this.

The True King would return, claim the throne, and take down The Accursed... Whoever he was, he sounded like a bad, bad guy - a daemon that supposedly had put this whole Starscourge in motion. Ten years of darkness... Nyxia could only hope these last few months of dedication would amount to something. The Gods had to put their foot down sooner or later, right?

Nyxia waited for updates, occasionally drifting in and out of slumber through the night. She briefly recalled dreaming of the gardens. The smell of roses seemed so much more vivid, the colors so much brighter, even in darkness. Then, there was the lingering scent of amberwood underneath, swept by a cool breeze that tickled her skin and lifted her hair.

She suddenly sat up, forcing herself from the dream. She was instantly alert, as if something was off. Her green eyes cast to the window. Before her rationality could stop her, she was hurrying down the hall and the stairs. Her sheer, billowing robe floated about her scurrying legs, chasing her outside into the gardens.

She followed the path, her bare feet dirtied from the earth under them. The area was vast, and though it wasn't a labyrinth, it consisted of tall hedges and trees that obstructed the depths of it.

Soon, she came to the fountain in the center, hearing only the water as it trickled into the lower basin.

She was still. What was she expecting to find out here? She was being ridiculous, chasing a silly dream...

She turned away the fountain, facing the direction in which she came. A figure stood between the two hedges, as if she had been followed.

Her heart must have stopped beating. She had to be asleep still. There was no way he could possibly be standing here now, right?

Like a gust of wind, he moved towards her. Nyxia felt her stomach tie itself in knots as his hands took her face between them, instantly pulling her into a longing kiss.

Her hands hung in the air, just shy from his amaranthine hair. She would have returned the kiss, had she not been stunned by disbelief.

This didn't _feel_ like a dream.

Her body sank into Ardyn's, her hands finally finding a place on his upper arms. Finally, she had no choice but to pull away when she needed to catch her breath.

"How are you here?" she asked him, her voice trembling. She hadn't known until his thumb smeared a tear on her cheek that she was crying.

"I never left," he whispered.

She pulled herself together, embarrassed to be seen like this. "I thought you were dead..."

Again, he kissed her, and Nyxia decided she really didn't need to know how he survived the collapse. She slipped her arms around his neck, and as he scooped her into his arms, she noticed he was taking her to the stone bench around the back of the fountain. He sat her down, removing his overcoat and using it as a cushion beneath her.

There was a dramatic contrast between their usual encounters and this. The way he took her was less animalistic and more affectionate. He held her, caressed her, kissed her... All the things that made her feel loved more than desired.

She couldn't let him do all the work, of course. Nyxia eventually forced herself up long enough to push him onto the bench. As she mounted him, her hands pressed against his chest. Only briefly had she noticed his toned body had no visible bruises or scars of any kind - nothing that gave any proof that he was ever hurt during the disaster in Tenebrae. Perhaps he was like her and healed exceptionally well.

Dismissing her curiosities, she impaled herself upon him, gasping in pleasure as he would fill her again. Her body bounced over him, her knees buckled against his waist as she did. Soon, he was pushing back up into her, matching her motions to send himself deeper into her. Nyxia moaned, unable to help but let it go, having been without a release for so long.

She felt so elated, so high that she could write her name across the sky.

She would never take what she had with Ardyn for granted ever again.

He promised he would return to her the following night, and Nyxia awaited it with high expectations. She felt like a child who had been given a little puppy for her birthday (except Nyxia much preferred cats), unable to think of anything else but that which made her the happiest.

Yet, even as she made progress on her research for the remedy for Ignis, she sought distractions - anything that would help the day move faster.

As if to answer her prayers, Prompto sent her a text message asking if she wanted to tag along with him to take down a mutant behemoth outside of Lestallum. She agreed to meet up with him. It was actually fun, teaming up with him, much like it had been enjoyably to hunt with Aranea and Iris.

By nighttime, she had gotten herself cleaned up and changed. Thankfully, Rubia was nowhere to be found, though it was possible the carbuncle knew what had happened in the gardens and wasn't too happy about the decision the princess had made.

Nyxia chose this time to get herself changed, deliberately choosing something pleasing to the eye. She fastened a black and silver corset around herself - something that may as well have been collecting dust in the closet - using the garter straps attached to it to secure a pair of black stockings over her thighs. Topped by the same robe from last night, which she had cleaned of dirt, she took her waiting moments to fix up her hair.

As she came out of the bathroom, her heart jumped slightly as she saw him standing in the middle of the room. He wore his hat - something she didn't see very often, though it gave him a look of mystery that she found very attractive, nonetheless.

She hoped that she had chosen her attire well, considering she hadn't exactly done this before.

"A gentleman knocks before entering a lady's room," she said lightly, though she felt a little nervous, somehow. It must have been the lingerie.

"Indeed, he does," Ardyn answered, casually removing his fedora and setting it on the end table. He approached her, his hand skillfully riding up the front of her corset before his fingers would grip at her neck. She stifled a moan. While last night's tenderness had been a wonderful experience, she found she preferred a little more aggression.

"I see you've been busy while I was gone." There was a change in his voice. Maybe it was just her, but he seemed... different. He released her, and Nyxia inhaled.

"You don't like it?" she asked, a bit embarrassed.

"Even with the Chosen King gone, his retainers for friends still can't seem to lie low, can they?" He paced Nyxia's bedroom. It made her incredibly nervous, that she stepped back. "And you side with _them_."

"Side with them?" she stuttered. "What are you-" He turned to look at her, and Nyxia gasped. His face...it was completely terrifying...

It was like looking at a canvas bleeding black paint, except she knew better. She should have known it sooner. She had killed enough daemons to know their blood didn't run red, but as black as tar.

"Ardyn... what happened to you?" Nyxia choked out, taking another step away from him. The room felt cold, the chill in the air abrupt, and somehow, it felt like everything just seemed to stop around them - even time itself.

"Ages of living in this carcass," he said darkly, though he didn't seem to pursue her. "What happened, my pet? This world cast me into damnation two thousand years ago. A savior, a healer to the people not much different from you.. Could you imagine what it's like, being exiled for sacrificing yourself for the good of the world?"

She knew the history of the last Starscourge, but never had she thought that The Accursed of legends would be none other than Ardyn. He had her fooled this entire time, made her believe he loved her, and she fell for all of it. But why?

Scared, she realized where her loyalties should have lied without question. "Is that what this is about?" she asked, her voice hardening. "You got shafted, so me making friends makes me the enemy? You brought the world nearly ten years of darkness. Tell me again how you are not the evil one."

Suddenly, the doors to the balcony slammed shut, and Nyxia gasped as darkness shrouded the bedroom. Behind her, his voice echoed, sounding less human than before.

"You want evil?" he asked. "Let me show it to you."

Nyxia lunged forward to get away from him, but from the shadows, he was already grabbing at her. She screamed, struggling at his grip as he pushed her onto the edge of the bed.

"Go on and scream. No one will hear you."

She summoned her sickle from the void, pointing it towards him. She didn't want to use it. Any other monster she would cut down without a second thought, but Ardyn... she loved him...

"You almost died for me... Why are you suddenly doing this?" she asked, her voice trembling. Her revealed weakness allowed her a glimpse of his face. He looked normal again, as if he was trying to fight something inside...

"The same reason you chose your allies. We have more important tasks at hand. You want to save the world. I want to make it mine."

"Ardyn... you don't have to do this."

He snatched the sickle from her in a flash of movement, then grabbed the roots of her hair, and Nyxia cried out a little. He wasn't holding back, and he had every intention of inflicting pain.

"I will take back what is mine, and not even you can stop me."

He kissed her mouth hard, and as Nyxia grunted through the pain, she struggled to push him away from her. As his body mounted hers to pin her down, his fingers tore open the front of her corset. Nyxia wailed angrily, her body thrashing to fight him off of her.

"Ardyn, please..." Her resolve weakened. "Don't..." A sharp pain across her chest made her cry out, and she saw a flash of the silver blade. The wound wasn't very deep, but it bled, nonetheless. Ardyn rolled his tongue over the fresh cut, and she shuddered in disgust as he tasted her blood.

Nyxia wiggled again, though was limited to doing nothing more as his strength greatly surpassed hers. The minutes that followed felt like hours as he tortured her. As he mercilessly fucked her body, he squeezed her throat tighter, forcing her to the brink of suffocation. Her vision was spotted in colors, and her face felt numb. She choked and sobbed, though her cries of anguish would only ever be heard by him.

And then, he left her there - betrayed, beaten, bloodied, and broken. She was so disoriented from the pain, she hadn't even heard if he said anything when he left her.

Nyxia laid on the bed, tears streaming down her bruised face. The same discolorations spotted her arms and neck. She laid in her own blood, unsure how long she had been used as his instrument. It had to be at least an hour.

Then, a little while after he had left her, a mewl could be heard from the balcony. Rubia hurried into the room, calling her name in a panic as she hopped onto the bed.

Then, placing her horned head on Nyxia's teary cheek, the carbuncle closed her eyes. A bright light filled the room, but all Nyxia would remember from this night was the blackest of darkness.


	24. Elegy

The next day, Nyxia hid herself away from the world. Even her father had come to see her, completely oblivious to what might have happened to her. She had hidden the blood stains with a spare blanket to avoid questions.

She simply insisted she wasn't feeling well, and after a bit of prodding with no real insight, Cingarus let her be.

She received several messages from Prompto - none of which she actually looked at. As one of the servants brought her food to her bed, Nyxia practically refused to eat. Not that she chose to be rebellious; she simply had no appetite.

Rubia kept watch over her, though not much was said between them. The princess wasn't much for conversation with anyone. All she could think about was the emotional pain she endured, and how Ardyn could be capable of being such a monster. She hadn't cried, but the turmoil she felt had her guardian curl up next to her and comfort her as best as she could.

She finally managed to get herself out of the bed to clean up. The sheets were disposed of, and she tried to do something productive, as well as keep herself secluded in her room.

She tried to read, but everything seemed to be about love and betrayal. She tried to listen to music, but the lyrics only lit a fire inside of her. Finally, she just sat in silence, picking up the phone to look at it for the first time.

The first message from Prompto was a picture of a large roast that Ignis had cooked. Her stomach only felt sick at the sight of it, though she was familiar with the many claims of Ignis's exceptional recipes.

The second one, however, left Nyxia with mixed emotions.

 _He's here! Noctis is back and coming to Hammerhead!_

She took a moment to let the turn in her gut settle before she would read the last text, which was sent about ten minutes ago.

 _Off to Insomnia... Wish us luck._

She couldn't bring herself to respond. Prompto and the others... they sought to take down the very force she had fallen for - a man who was everything to her...until he took everything away.

The phone fell to the floor, and Nyxia hugged her knees to her chest. There was no telling what might come of this.

She felt cold and empty, and as the night passed, she came in and out of broken sleep. It wasn't until Rubia had nudged her with her head that she chose to acknowledge consciousness.

 _"Nyxia, come look..."_ The carbuncle headed for the window, pulling open one of the drapes with her fangs to reveal a faint, indigo hue in the skies. Beyond the blanket, a circle of fire and light hung in the blue.

"The sun..." she whispered. Yet, she knew what this meant.

Conflicted with her emotions, Nyxia didn't know how to feel. Even as she finally cried, she couldn't determine whether to feel happy that the scourge had lifted or upset that Ardyn had passed on.

Despite the pain she endured two nights before, she couldn't just magically stop loving him. Now, he was gone, and with no goodbye.

Her tired eyes would stop on the instrument case in the corner of the room. The cello that was given to her... she loved playing it almost more than anything, and yet, it pained her to even look at it now. As she would pop open the buckles and look at the beautiful sheen of black wood, her heart would ache again.

 _"Don't torment yourself."_

The princess was already pulling the cello out from its velvet confines, and as she sat herself on the chair nearby, she took a moment to tune the strings, plucking them to ensure the tone was just right. At first, she felt numb, but as the strings would soon sing a lament, that insensitivity did not last for very long. Her eyes closed, then they squeezed. Her stomach ached as she tried to hold back her tears.

The bow stopped, the hum of the instrument replaced by the sound of her sobbing. Soon, it felt as if she'd been beaten in the ribs by a hammer. Sometimes, it was hard to catch her breath. An unbroken stream would come in small windows in between silence, and then finally, after what felt like hours, she was able to find enough strength to clean herself up. As she showered, she couldn't even stay standing for long. She sat on the tiled floor, hugging her knees to her bare chest. By now, she just felt numb again. This past year had done so much to change her, and yet, this was how it all had to end - silently, save for a shattering heart.

Two more days allowed her some solace to come to terms, and though the sun's revival came at the cost of death of love, she found recovery coming in small doses.

Nyxia resorted to small tasks to keep herself busy. She disposed some of her wardrobe - dresses that she felt just didn't suit her. Anything with excessive color was disposed of, piled up on the foot of the stripped bed. She took it upon herself to do her own laundry. She couldn't afford questions to be raised as to why there was blood on the sheets.

However, she avoided the gardens, much as she avoided the alleyways of Curia and Stardale - anything that reminded her of him, she avoided like the plague. Even as the city erupted in celebration, her father was rarely seen, occupying much of his time with the repair work for Insomnia, as well as helping prepare a funeral for King Noctis. Because of this, it came as a surprise when the Kingsguard came into the throne room as she was talking with Thage, discussing the latest whereabouts of her father.

Truth be told, she hadn't thought they made it. She hadn't heard from Prompto since that night - then again, the door did swing both ways. Not once since then had she bothered to reach out to him. She felt a little guilty.

However, her eyes lit up when she saw them, particularly Prompto. She hurried to the trio, leaving behind all noble behavior as she threw her arms around Prompto and Gladio's necks. Prompto seemed happy to return it, though the other was more taken aback than anything.

"It's so nice to see you guys," she said. "And I have good news." As she approached Ignis, she also embraced him. None of them actually said anything; she could imagine they were still feeling pain from losing Noctis, and she certainly couldn't blame them. "I'm finally onto something with the cure. It'll be a lot of work, and I have a list of the materials I need, but it will require me some travel."

For a moment, they were all silent, as if stunned. Then, finally, "You don't believe you're doing all of this on your own, do you?" Ignis replied.

"Yeah." Prompto added in.

"Can't let you have all the fun."

All three of them seemed adamant in joining her on this quest, and Nyxia was surprised, even though not disappointed. She looked at Thage, who seemed reluctant, but eventually, she was given a nod.

"You'll be in good hands, my lady, I know it."

Nyxia looked at the others, knowing they might have wanted more time to grieve the loss of their king, at least. They had been through a great deal. "When do you guys want to head out?"

It turned out that Ignis was more eager about getting his vision back than she had given him credit for. He insisted they leave tomorrow at noon, and they would meet at the front of the palace. Nyxia ensured that one of the guards had the Stella fully gassed and ready to go before they would set out.

Remembering to bring the list she needed, as well as a couple of other, important things, she carried two bags with her as she came out onto the sunlit steps. She hadn't fully gotten used to walking into sunlight again, after all of these dreary years, but the warmth felt comforting on her skin as she came up to the others, who were ready to go.

She looked at Prompto, blinking a couple of times. "Prompto," she said, "you shaved."

"It doesn't look bad, does it?" he said, rubbing his chin a little. Nyxia just smiled.

"Not at all."

Gladio took the bags for her, throwing them into the trunk as she started up the ignition. One of the rare herbs they needed to locate was in Mendacium, a forested area swarming in darkness.

"According to my research," Ignis said as he climbed into the passenger's seat, "Mendacium is dangerous ground to tread. We must stay alert at all times."

"Where is it?" Prompto asked from behind Nyxia.

"It's east of Steyliff Grove," Nyxia said, hearing the trunk door slam shut. "It's not too bad a drive, but like Ignis said, it's not the safest place in the world. Supposedly, it plays tricks with your mind if you stay too long."

"Which means we need to get what we need and get the hell out," Gladio said as he climbed in behind Ignis's seat.

"Hey, there's a princess in the car."

"It's alright. It's not like I'm exactly the epitome of royalty."


	25. Mendacium

The road to the forest ended at a fork - one that would take them south towards Pallareth Pass, and the other that would take them to the very edge of Mendacium, a wall of dark, tall trees that were thick with greenery.

As the foursome climbed out of the car, Nyxia immediately felt an uneasiness wash over her. She had to admit, she was glad she hadn't made this trip alone. Having the company of the Chocobros made her realize she might not make it far any other way.

She had no problem with leading the way, at least. Daemons were nothing to worry about here, especially with the lift of thr scourge, but there were plenty of other beasts to be concerned about, particularly those of a creepy-crawly nature.

"We need to find the heart of the forest," she said. "It should be a big gazebo with a tree growing inside of it." As she explained their objective, they came across a fork in the earth.

"This place has to be huge. Shouldn't we split up to cover more ground?" Gladiolus suggested.

"It sounds like a logical plan, but we should travel in pairs, at the very least."

"Alright. Nyxia, it's probably best you tag along with me. Prompto, you got Iggy?"

"Sure thing, big guy."

As they split up into two parties, the princess followed Gladio deeper into the woods and towards the a winding path. The other two would take the other route.

Nyxia allowed him to lead the way, seeing as he tended to be more of a fanatic of surviving the outdoors. "This is like a vacation for me, believe it or not."

"The fresh air is nice," she agreed, smiling up at the sunlight as it tried to penetrate the emerald canopy above them. However, the further they followed the trail, the thicker the foliage would be, making it harder for the light to shine through.

"Sure is," he said, ducking under the branches of a fallen tree. She did the same, though didn't have to bend down as much, being significantly smaller than the man that led the way. She could understand why he had been chosen to be Noctis's Shield - after all, he may as well be an impenetrable, buff wall of meat. His build made him look quite intimidating, much like the male version of Thage, just...with tattoos stretched across his torso and arms.

Nyxia's steps slowed for a moment. She felt as if a source of magic was luring her away from the beaten path and away from Gladiolus. She didn't say anything. She wouldn't go far. Just keep him in sight, and she could regroup with him if she didn't see anything of interest.

As her boots kicked through the leaves, she trekked over an uprooted tree trunk. Hanging moss draped in front of her, and she needed to push it to the side to bypass it. So many earthy smells stimulated her senses - Cleigne fir, flora, even the earth under her feet. There was something else, and at first, she couldn't determine what it was, but it was oddly familiar.

Her heart rate began to quicken.

No, it couldn't be...

 _Amberwood?_

She kept walking, her steps hurried as if she was chasing the smell. She even stumbled a couple of times, ignoring what thick roots were protruding from the soil.

She gasped, her eyes fixing on the gazebo she had been searching for. Inside of it, a vibrant tree had grown up and through its roof, almost as if the two structures had become one. At the base of the tree was what appeared to be a dark chasm leading into darkness. This was where she needed to go, but by now, she questioned whether she should continue or not. No one else had stumbled across this finding, and going in alone might not be the brightest idea.

 _Move forward. He is there..._

A woman's voice whispered, seeming to come from every direction of the forest, or was it all inside of her head? Nyxia looked around, unable to see no reaction within the foliage around her.

"He?" she asked, looking back at the tree. She hadn't come here to look for someone - she was here to find the caecus plant.

 _He that loved you. He that bled you. He that both created your world and destroyed it._

It really should have been no mystery, but Nyxia couldn't make sense out of how it could be possible. She stared ahead, feeling frozen in her steps. "No... there's no way." Why any small fraction of her might have desired this to be true, she couldn't understand. She shook her head, taking a step back. "He's dead..."

 _Like a perennial, not all that withers is dead._

Nyxia wanted to believe it. Maybe things could change in a world where light had returned. Maybe he could prove to her that she had always been right to believe in his better side.

 _Come._

The voice beckened, and as Nyxia came closer, she stepped onto the stone, passing through the pillars. Then, she saw him. He was partially coated in the shadow of the tree. Nyxia felt knees weaken. The sight of him made her want to break down and cry, but at the same time, she wanted to destroy him.

Yet, his honey eyes held a look...the same look he gave her when they first found each other again after the tragedy in Tenebrae. The look that told her he would do everything in his power to protect her and keep her.

And yet, she had read it wrong.

"Why...?" she asked, her voice shaking, and her body shattering into a thousand pieces. "Why are you here now?"

"I could never truly leave you." Ardyn's voice ripped a giant hole into her chest. She choked back a sob, fists clenched at her sides. "Just as before."

"I don't understand..."

His gloved hand reached out towards her, fingertips stretched in such a way that asked her to take it, but did not demand it.

Nyxia stepped forward before she could stop herself. Despite everything, she wanted to forgive and forget. He had been a good man once, even before her. Two thousand years ago, he had been a healer, right? He made a difficult decision to save Eos from the plague of daemons, and while he did it with good intentions, it destroyed him.

Warmth enveloped her as her hand fell into his. Soon, he was embracing her, and it was the most enlightened she had felt in days.

"I love you," she whispered. It seemed so long ago since she had last uttered those words to him. His other hand brushed through her hair before it would press against her cheek.

Then, as his lips claimed hers, Nyxia felt she could simply melt into him. She returned the kiss, her hands searching him before they would lace fingers into his hair.

She wanted to hunt down all the monsters that touched him. She wanted to destroy the ones who twisted his stars into shadows. They made him into a nightmare. She wished she could bring back the daemons so that she would become theirs.

She felt his grip on her waist, and his tongue parted her lips. Nyxia moaned softly, and as her hands trailed down, she continued to feel soft locks.

Her eyes opened, and she sounded a muffled cry of alarm as she saw a pair of bright, green eyes staring back at her, seeming to pierce her soul. She tried to pull away, but the creature that held her grabbed the back of her head.

 _I will grant your wish._ From the void, Nyxia summoned her sickle, its blade alight with fire as she sliced at the creature. It released her, howling angrily as it fell back a bit. Once Nyxia regained herself, she was able to get a visual on the temptress that had tricked her. She looked like a tree all her own, a nude woman made partially of bark. Even her breasts seemed prominent enough, but barren branches sprouted from the top of her head like giant antlers, and she was rooted to the ground.

"And what do you think I wish for?" Nyxia demanded, her weapon ready to strike again. However, the dryad didn't look as though she wanted to fight.

 _You wish to be with him. I can feel it._ Her lips didn't move, but the voice most certainly seemed to emanate from her. It was clear that while she didn't seem to be violent in nature, that she only intended to bring the princess death.

Nyxia hesitated. "I do, but...not like this."

The wood nymph gave her a solemn look. _You are here to aid another... one you do not love._

"That's because there's other important things in this world than what I want."

The feminine figure made of earth and foliage reached down, and from her roots that seemed to be coated in a darker shade of green moss, she used humane hands to peel it off in a strip.

 _The caecus moss. Collect it for your remedy._

Nyxia was reluctant, unsure of whether this might be another rouse or not. So, she decided she may as well ask, at the very least. "Are you tricking me?"

 _I knew a love such as yours once. I knew betrayal, and I knew loss. Yet, we forgive._

"So, why were you trying to kill me just now?"

 _Death is the only certainty that brings us back to those we've lost._

"You're permitting suicide," the princess scowled. "Maybe you've come across women too weak to go on because they loved someone...but I can't just accept that kind of fate. I want to see this beautiful world in the sun again. Don't you?"

The creature seemed to smile. _Indeed, you speak truth._

Taking the foliage from the woman's hand, Nyxia took a few steps back in caution. "Thank you...for at least letting my last memory of him be somewhat nice, even if it wasn't real."

 _It may not have been real, but there is nothing more true than the words you spoke, and his adoration mirrors that of his mourner._

She felt her stomach flip. "I... I know." Nyxia watched with a torn spirit as the forest nymph disappeared into the tree's trunk. As she did, the chasm closed in, removing the evidence of her, save for the moss in her hands.

"Nyxia!"

The voice could be heard behind her, and she turned her head. It seemed Gladio had found her, though he seemed pretty frustrated.

"You can't just run off like that." She held up her hands, showing the messy clump of moss that had been gifted to her. Somehow, she couldn't quite find the words to speak up, still trying to absorb what had just happened. He growled, oblivious to her lack of words meaning any personal struggle. "We need to find the others."


	26. Motivation

Upon reuniting at the car, the four of them continued on their way towards the Duscae region, finding the last of their more difficult ingredients north of Costlemark. A special breed of a midgarsormir resided here, and they needed its tongue in order to make the concoction. Nyxia hadn't uttered a word about the dryad, nor what she saw at the tree. It was best to keep all of that quiet. They didn't need to know about the mistakes she had made. Besides, it was all in the past, and she felt she had finally come to some form of closure.

With the three Chocobros on her trail, Nyxia went around the back side of the tall structure, thankful that they at least didn't have to go inside. She had her share of that place as it was.

The giant snake was likely burrowed in a cave nearby, but it would take all four of them to take it down. As they approached the entrance to the cave, however, the ground began to shake beneath them.

"Hey, I think we got company!" Gladiolus shouted. Nyxia steadied her balance, spreading her boots further apart. It was beneath them, ready to strike out at any second.

Then, suddenly, she realized its location. "Prompto!" she shouted, throwing herself at the gunman to push him just as the ground began to break beneath his feet. He yelled in surprise, but the two of them managed to clear out of the serpent's path as it shot from the earth like a scaled geyser.

"Whew, thanks," he huffed, letting Nyxia pull him up by the hand as the brawl would begin. Gladio was already swinging his way in with his sword, which was practically the same size as him. Prompto was next into the fray, pulling out a large gun that resembled a giant machine.

Ignis, however, Nyxia was a little concerned about. What did he typically do in a situation like this? Yet, she was impressed to see that he was skilled in magic similar to her, except using elemental orbs from a safe distance - and his aim was remarkable, considering he was blind.

The last one to join in on the fight, Nyxia drew her sickle, charming it with fire before she would charge in. The others seemed to coordinate together, and in a way, it was impressive to watch them conform the way they did.

Prompto, however, had given her a cue she was quick to respond to. After all, this wasn't the first time they had hunted together. Synchronization was something she had only ever practiced with Aranea, and even still, it had been a while since then.

She hurried towards him, and as his hand grabbed hers, he would sweep her across the ground. Going with it, she used the scythe to reach the snake's belly, right in the spot where the scales seemed the softest.

Blood spewed in every direction, certainly not missing her as she rolled out of the way. However, the snake lashed back in its final moments, as if determined to take her down with it. Nyxia cried out in pain as a fang snagged her by the ankle, rendering her in immense pain as she would collapse to the ground.

However, a certain, red carbuncle was quick to appear and come to her rescue.

Ignis dealt the final blow to ensure it was down, using a fire spell to destroy it completely. As the corpse fell to the ground, controlled embers scattered about the grass, Nyxia just sat on the ground, letting Rubia heal the poisoned wound above her foot.

"I didn't know she had one of those," Prompto murmured, watching as a glow would emit from the horn on Rubia's forehead.

"Thanks," Nyxia murmured.

Then, just like that, the carbuncle would disappear, having done her job.

"Great teamwork, huh?" Prompto said as he now helped her to her feet.

"Teamwork makes the dream work," Nyxia answered, smiling. Meanwhile, Gladiolus was approaching the head of the serpent, looking for the best way to remove the tongue. Ignis and Prompto would hold open the jaws as he cut it out, leaving Nyxia to wriggle in disgust.

"Ew."

"Aren't you glad we came with you?" he teased.

She was, though she was sure she would have stomached it on her own one way or another.

A stop at Lestallum allowed them the rest of the supplies that they needed. They stayed at The Leville throughout the night, grabbing two rooms. Perhaps the boys felt a little strange sharing a room with the Curian princess, but Prompto had been the one who ended up knocking on her door.

Nyxia, who simply had been watching the news update about the successful development in Insomnia, invited him in. How could she not, since he had brought some food in a couple of take-out boxes?

It smelled delicious.

"Ignis made it fresh. It's sweet-and-sour chicken and rice."

"Ignis cooks, huh?" she asked, closing the door behind them.

"Mama Ignis is only the best cook I know," he said, grinning as he plopped down on one of the two, standard beds. They would dig into the food, and Nyxia didn't hold back. She was starving, and all politeness she usually had to practice was thrown out the window as she gobbled down the delicious food.

He wasn't kidding. This was delicious.

"How's the ankle?" he asked after a couple of minutes of them sitting in silence.

"Oh, it's alright. Rubia took good care of it. It feels a little funny, but aside from that, it doesn't hurt or anything."

"Nice," he said.

After a couple of moments of strange silence, Nyxia resorted to small talk. "Taken any good pictures lately?"

At this, she watched Prompto's face fall. She wondered if she had said something wrong, and even realized just now that he didn't have the camera with him at all during their trip. "Nah, I stopped."

"You stopped? What do you mean, like permanently?"

"Eh, I just...ever since Noct...you know.. " Oh, god. Nyxia hadn't thought that King Noctis's death would have effected him that dramatically. He loved that camera, but maybe he loved his best friend more.

"Hey, I understand." She was silent for a moment, then, unable to keep her mouth shut for very long. "But you shouldn't stop doing what you love because of it."

He lifted his head, giving her a look of surprise. There was a reason she had brought it up - after all, she felt the sudden need to follow her own advice. It had been days since she picked up that cello, and since she cried her eyes out while playing it, she intended to keep it locked away forever.

"If anything, you should keep doing it, because it keeps those fonder memories of them alive, even if they aren't physically with you." Prompto had noticed the shaking in her voice, and she stopped.

"You're... you're right." He finally spoke, and the regained strength in his voice caused her to perk up. Nyxia looked at him, smiling faintly.

"I am?"

"Yeah. Once we get back to Curia, that camera will never leave my sight again."


	27. The Ritual

Upon returning to Curia, Nyxia spent a couple of days preparing the concoction. Everything had to be ground up and brewed, and it would take hours of simmering to get it to the consistency needed. It was a thick paste that would be put over the eyes when it was said and done, but there was still one more step that had to be taken.

On the third day of being back home, she had to fast. Even Cingarus had done it, not because he had to, but because he wanted to support the difficult task that she had to undergo. That, and he didn't want to tempt her with the lingering smell of delicious food.

The trio came to assist that night, finding Nyxia in a large, open room that had been cleared for this purpose alone. She sat in the center of the room, and as she waited, she sat in a chair, running the bow along the strings of her cello.

It helped to keep her calm, even if it did leave lingering thoughts of who she had lost. The sound was what she tried to keep focused on, though it was better than just pacing the floor.

After all, it was going to be a long night.

"Your Highness plays a lovely tune," came Ignis's voice from the doorway. The notes fell into silence, and Nyxia lowered the bow. "It seems somber."

Nyxia smiled faintly, and as the other two came into the room after him, she got up and set down the instrument on the ground. "It helps me relax."

"Are you certain you're prepared for this?" he asked, limited to only following her with his ears as she collected the flask from a table on the far side of the room.

"Don't you worry about me," she said. "I want to make sure _you're_ ready."

Ignis smiled. "Most certainly. Your Highness, I cannot thank you enough for all of the dedication you have put towards returning sight to one man."

"You don't have to thank me, Ignis. I'm just doing my job." She looked over to Prompto. "Could you open the window?" she asked him. "We need as much moonlight to fill the room as possible."

As the final preparations were made, the potion was put in a clear, glass bowl. Nyxia sat herself in the chair, her roght side facing the window as she cupped it in her hands. A second chair was placed in front of her so that Ignis would face her.

The other two would stand back and watch, Prompto holding Ignis's shades and walking stick, gripping them tightly in his anxiety. They had all been warned that this would not be an easy ritual to watch, let alone perform.

She began speaking in an ancient tongue, a lot of it sounding snake-like with emphasis on the 's' sounds. It didn't sound peaceful, though Ignis remained still, even as the paste would start being applied over his eyes with a round brush. She continued to recite the words, the others oblivious to what was being said, exactly.

Then, Nyxia closed her eyes, scooping another application onto the brush to apply it to her own eyes. The words still twisted from her mouth, serpentine and growing louder. There was a strain in her voice as her eyes would begin to itch. She kept them closed, and as the discomfort changed into a burn, Nyxia's words began to falter. She had finished her spell; now, the worst was to come.

She relived the moment that Ignis had endured when he lost his vision, even saw his last visions.

 _"You risked life and limb to safeguard the King of Kings, only to witness him fail so spectacularly. You must be so disappointed."_

 _Ardyn_. Behind him was the unconscious body of Noctis on the wet, stone slab of ground. He had been ready to end him with a dagger right then and there, and she heard Ignis's voice demand him to unhand the fallen king.

 _"Oh, what good is the world that only ever lets you down? Why not end it all right here?"_

 _"No...you can't..."_

She heard more and more of her own voice within Ignis's as he screamed Noct's name, and as he stood up to the plate and put on the Ring of the Lucii.

Her eyes felt as if they were being burned out of her skull. It was the same pain that Ignis felt, though it soon seemed to spread over her entire body. She couldn't stay in the chair for any longer. The glass bowl in her hand shattered at her tight grip, and her screams filled the room as she fell to the floor. The cuts in her hands were the last thing she was worried about, but as Prompto started to run to her, Ignis heard his steps and yelled out.

"Stay where you are!" he demanded. "The process cannot be interrupted!"

Nyxia writhed on the ground, the room around her going dark as the spell took its next phase.

It felt like hours, but the pain eventually subsided, leaving her in blackness as she laid on the floor, trembling from the agonizing pain.

Finally, she felt her body being lifted from the ground. She was fairly certain it was Gladio carrying her, but she was far too weak to ask. As her body eventually fell limp in his strong arms, she slipped into unconsciousness.

The entire night haunted her with Ardyn's voice stirring from the darkness - the same words he'd spoken to Ignis.

 _"Well, they've shown you their favor after all."_

She remembered fighting against him within Ignis's body, so much anger and determination to end him and the MTs that stood by him.

It wasn't until the following morning that she would wake up, only to momentarily panic as she found she couldn't actually see the sun. She couldn't see anything. Her heart pounded like a drum against her chest, racing like chocobo feet.

She gasped, feeling at her eyes as she sat up in the bed. Instantly, she heard shuffling beside her. She had thought this might happen as a side effect, but...

It was still really scary.

"Xia, it's okay! I'm right here."

"Prompto?" she spoke, her hands reaching out in front of her.

"We're all right here." Gladiolus seemed to be on the other side.

"Is Ignis here, too?"

"Alive and well," came the third voice from in front of her. She lowered her hands, leaning back against her pillow.

"Did it work?"

For a moment, there was silence, and her heart sank. Had all that hard work been for nothing? She wouldn't be blind forever, she knew. It would take a couple of days, but she would be back to normal. It seemed that Ignis, however, would not be so fortunate...

"...Yes."

Her heart must have jumped out of her chest when she heard him. His voice sounded lighter, as if he couldn't contain his happiness for very long.

"I'm glad," she said, smiling.

"Are _you_ okay?" Prompto said.

"I'll be fine. My blindness should only last for a couple of days. Until then, I should probably keep my moving around to a minimum."

She felt weak, on top of not being able to see anything. At the very least, it was probably best just to stay in bed.

"Hey, Ignis, by chance, do you have any of that chicken and rice left over? I'm starving..."

"Sadly, no, but I would be more than happy to make a fresh batch."

That sounded wonderful, even if it wasn't the ideal food for breakfast. Nyxia remained in the bed as Ignis would leave, requesting that Prompto go with him to help.

Gladio was still in the room, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence between them. She was still troubled by the visions she saw of Ardyn. He really was a terrible man, seeking only his own gains in the world. The goddess in the forest... She said his love was true, but it was evident that he still loved himself more.

"That was pretty boss, what you did back there."

Gladiolus spoke to her through the void, stirring her out of her brooding thoughts. She folded her hands in her lap, not really able to do much else. She hated being bed-ridden, and she hated even more to ask for help.

"I'm just glad it worked."

"You definitely took a hit for the team... I wouldn't have expected it. You could have bailed when you realized how bad things were gonna get."

"What kind of princess would I be if I did that?"

He was silent after that, and for a few moments longer, silence rang in her ears.

"So, what will you guys do now?"

"Huh?" he returned. "Well, I'm not so sure we thought that far yet. Probably help some of the cities get back on their feet, one by one. I might go back to Lestallum and see how I can help there."

"Why Lestallum?"

"Lots of hot women, that's why."

Nyxia snickered.

"No, but really... Iris is there. I figured I'd join the effort and see what more needs to be done to get everyone on their feet."

Nyxia's grin became more of a smile. "I'm glad Iris is doing alright. Tell her hello for me?"

"Sure thing."

Blindness wasn't all that made things difficult as she recovered in her bedroom. When she was brought food, no matter whether it was made by Ignis or the palace's cooks, she couldn't keep it down. Her body rejected anything that was put into it, even water.

It was humiliating, puking on her bedsheets and having to get Thage's help getting cleaned up and changed. Even the bedsheets had to be changed on more than one occasion.

Some things she was able to do on her own, at least, like using the bathroom and closing the window if it got too cold.

Then, finally, she was awoken by a bright light shining through the window. It was blinding, to the point that she initially thought the burning pain might come back to haunt her again. Yet, as her eyes adjusted, she was immensely relieved.

Her body still feeling a little weak, she climbed out of the bed, taking a moment to bask in the warmth that radiated through the glass. It was when the door opened that she finally turned around.

"Nyxia, thank the heavens!"

"Dad..." She hurried over to Cingarus, throwing her arms around him tightly as he did the same to her. He had been in and out of her room throughout the last couple of days, usually when she happened to be asleep, but it was so nice to finally see him, and looked ecstatic.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but good, otherwise."

"The others will be glad to know you're up., and your mother, too."

"She's here?"

"She's downstairs, getting ready for breakfast. Do you suppose you're ready to eat yet?"

"I can try, if it means I can get out of this room," she murmured with a smile. She got herself cleaned up and dressed while Cingarus would deliver the good news.

Once she arrived in the dining room, her mother looked elated to see her recovered. She hugged her tightly. "My brave girl," she said softly to her before they would sit down to eat.

Thankfully, it seemed she was able to stomach the ham, eggs, and toasted bread without any struggle. Her father asked if she wanted to meet with Ignis and the others, or if she wanted to wait. After all, they were eagerly awaiting to hear news on her progress. Agreeing to go ahead and meet them, Cingarus made a phone call to have them come to the throne room in the evening.

Instead of tending to the patients in the infirmary (Natalia had already gone ahead and did everything), she walked with her mother through the gardens.

As they passed by the fountain, however, Nyxia felt knots in her stomach. She hadn't been here since she was unexpectedly reunited with Ardyn, usually trying to avoid the gardens to avoid her memories.

"The gem is still out there somewhere," Nyxia said. Her mother looked at her calmly.

"I know."

"I still want to find it."

For a moment, they stopped walking. Nyxia didn't know how much longer she could look at that bench without feeling sick again, and so she turned her back to it.

"I figured you would. Your father and I wondered how long it might take for you to bring it up, but you still need to regain your energy."

"I didn't plan on going out right away," she said. "But I do think it's necessary to make sure no one else gets their hands on it, lest someone wants to bring back the scourge."

"I agree, my dear," the queen said. "In that case, I will consult your father and Alcaeus. Until then, you should prepare for your friends' arrival."


	28. The Oath

Nyxia had gotten herself dressed into something a little more princess-appropriate, but it was only because her mother had insisted. She usually didn't get dressed up for any special occasions, and Cingarus had never really forced her to, but her mother was a little more formal.

So, Nyxia sported a royal-blue, chiffon gown as she waited on the balcony of her bedroom. She eventually could see the three of them dressed in their Kingsguard uniforms as they came down the sidewalk, and it was her cue to make her way down the spiral stairs.

Nyxia would join with her mother and father in the throne room, feeling a little more refreshed than she had earlier in the day.

As the trio was let into the room, Cingarus was sitting on the throne, and Nyxia and Natalia stood on either side. As much as she would have liked to be less formal and give them all an embrace, she knew her mother would likely frown on it.

Ignis looked spectacular and healthy. He still had a small scar around his left eye, but with his shades replaced by regular glasses, it was clear that he was able to see the world around him again, and it made her very happy.

"It's good to see Your Highness has improved," he said as the three of them bowed. Nyxia looked at him with a smile.

"And it's good to see your vision is back, Ignis."

"I owe you my life."

She opened her mouth to retort that he didn't need to go that far, but Cingarus had responded first. "Which leads me to make a request."

They all looked to the king now as he rose to his feet. "It has come to my attention that my daughter has expressed concern for finding the Necromancer's Gem." They seemed interested, but he continued. "She cannot make this journey alone." He then looked at Gladiolus, who was already bowing, his hand to his chest in a fist.

"By my father's dying wishes to serve Curia upon the death of the Lucian King, I will serve however you need me to, Your Majesty."

Cingarus nodded. "Then, will you serve as my daughter's Shield?"

"I will, Your Majesty."

Ignis followed suit in the same posture. "I am indebted to Her Highness. I would be honored to help."

"Me, too!" Prompto chimed in, also bowing.

Nyxia smiled, looking at her father. In return, he nodded to her, also smiling. He drew a sword from a hilt that was built on the top of the throne chair, then handed it to Nyxia. She accepted it with care, then placed the blade on each of their shoulders as she would finalize the pact.

"By the Curian city and by Chantieri blood, I announce you three, Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia, and Prompto Argentum as the Curian Queensguard."

They had been asked to stay for dinner as a gratitude for their services, and they were each honored to partake in the food. Ignis talked a lot about how delicious the food was, and how he was inspired to come up with a new recipe. Nyxia mostly listened, though occasionally engaged in some small talk with Prompto, who seemed much happier now that things appeared relatively normal.

By the end of the night, Nyxia was feeling quite tired, still not fully rehabilitated. She promised she would let them know when she was ready to head out. Thage had suggested using a process called Reflecting as a way to help mentally heal herself. Basically, it was meditation. She sat on her mattress, legs crossed beneath her as she would do what she could to clear her mind. She closed her eyes, casting aside everything. She had done it with Thage a couple of times through these days of recuperation, but now, she did this on her own.

However, as she emptied her thoughts, images forced their way in - images she had never seen before. Yet, the visions seemed to suggest some sort of importance. Who was trying to tell her something, and what was it they were trying to say?

Nyxia's eyes opened as she tried to process the places she saw. There was a waterfall, as well as a flash of a dark chamber that she imagined might have been a tomb of one of the Kings of Lucis. Was it possible that she was given a vision of where the gem might be?

She found herself scampering for the study room. She was pretty sure she had seen a similar picture on Meteor Publishing at some point. After about an hour of trying to determine the location on the publishing company's website, she found a very similar picture of the same waterfall. Apparently, it was the entrance to Greyshire Glacial Grotto, and there was, as she suspected, a royal arms tomb hidden deep within.

She sent Prompto a text about it late that night, inquiring if he knew whether or not the place was still accessible. After about an hour, she figured she wouldn't hear from him until morning. He was likely fast asleep right now, and so, she forced herself to do the same.

By sunrise, Nyxia had gotten herself showered and cleaned. It was expected to be a warm day, and so she threw on some lace-up, black shorts and a long-sleeved, crop top of lace and spandex. Perhaps, she decided, it was time to live and let go - find something new and branch from it. No more elegant dresses and proper behaviors. It was time to get out there and see this beautiful world in the light again. It was time to get a little dirty and kick some daemon ass.

And have a hell of a time doing it.

"Come on, Rubia," she said, heading for the bedroom door. "We have a gem to find."


End file.
